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California's health insurance exchange said 217,146 people have newly signed up for Obamacare coverage after nearly two months of open enrollment. The Covered California exchange said Tuesday the number of applications slowed during the holidays, but it remains confident of reaching its 2015 goal for health-law enrollment. ... During the initial rollout of the Affordable Care Act, 1.2 million people had purchased a private health plan through Covered California. State officials are trying to hold on to those existing policyholders and add about 500,000 more to finish open enrollment Feb. 15 with 1.7 million consumers. (Terhune, 1/13)

State health insurance exchange officials Tuesday said they're on track to reach their goal of signing up at least 500,000 new enrollees by Feb. 15, the deadline for the second open-enrollment period under the nation's health care law. (Seipel, 1/13)

California's health insurance exchange is reminding consumers that they will face a penalty under ObamaCare for remaining without coverage, a messaging tool to boost enrollment that other marketplaces have hesitated to embrace. Covered California, one of the nation's most successful exchanges, made no effort to downplay the individual mandate penalties that took effect last year and are set to rise in 2015. The marketplace is encouraging consumers to pick plans by Thursday, the deadline for insurance that kicks in Feb. 1. (Viebeck, 1/13)