CHICAGO (AP) — Less than a week remains for Illinois consumers to buy private health insurance for coverage starting Jan. 1 on the marketplace created by President Barack Obama’s health care law.

Tuesday is an important enrollment deadline. Consumers who want their coverage to start at the first of the year need to choose a health plan by that date.

Earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin joined other officials in urging uninsured Illinois residents to enroll and others who buy marketplace coverage to re-enroll. Enrollment runs through the end of January. Signing up after Tuesday means coverage starts in February.

As of Saturday, more than 97,000 consumers in Illinois have selected a marketplace health plan.

Illinois is one of 38 states that use the federal health insurance marketplace.

 

 

 

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.