Colorado’s health insurance exchange extends deadline amid heavy traffic

Health insurance shoppers have a bit more time to find a 2017 plan.

Colorado's health insurance exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, extended its enrollment deadline until 6 p.m. Friday after its call center was flooded with last-minute shoppers.

After that point, only people who have qualifying life events - such as having a child, getting married or getting divorced - can purchase health insurance plans for 2017.

At one point on Tuesday, the wait time for people calling the exchange grew untenable, said Luke Clarke, an exchange spokesman.

"We decided we can extend it a few days for these folks and spread those calls out, so that they're not up all night trying to get in," Clarke said.

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