President's Obama's top health administrator visited the Sunshine State as the deadline to sign up for health insurance nears.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell joined Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor to speak with members of New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday before attending an enrollment event following the church service.
Nationally, more than 11.3 million people signed up for coverage through the federal health insurance marketplaces. Florida has led the way in an enrollment, with about 1.6 million who have enrolled so far, according to numbers from federal health officials.
The state has not expanded Medicaid so roughly 1 million residents fall in a gap where they make too much money for the current Medicaid program and too little money to qualify for a subsidy through the marketplace.
Open enrollment ends Jan. 31. Under the law, most Americans have to enroll in coverage or they will face a tax penalty.