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Time Is Running Out To Sign Up For 'Obamacare'

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Time is running out if you need to purchase health insurance through the federal marketplace.

Tuesday, January 31st, is the final day of the Affordable Care Act's fourth and current health insurance open enrollment period. The end of the open enrollment comes amid promises by the Trump administration to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as 'Obamacare.'

Alexa Opel and her husband Kevin may be among the hundreds of thousands waiting until the last-minute to renew or enroll in 'Obamacare' for 2017.

"Not knowing if coming into sign up even made sense or if everything was going to change and we had to redo everything," said Alexa Opel.

It's about the uncertainty of what will happen to the Affordable Care Act under the Trump administration.

"Do I still have my insurance? I had a lady crying because she has cancer and she doesn't know what to do. There's a lot of chaos, a lot of uncertainty, confusion. People don't know what to do," said Odalys Arevalo with Las Madrinas.

Those are just a few of the many questions Odalys Arevalo from Las Madrinas at the Mall of the Americas has been getting. For the past four years, her company has been helping people sign up for 'Obamacare' and says now more than ever people need the help.

"We're here calming the community, letting them know it's your duty to sign up, whatever happens, you will be grandfathered into some type of plan. It will not go away from one day to another," said Arevalo.

That is why Alexa and Kevin are not taking any chances although she admits she is still a bit confused.

"I really have no idea what's supposed to change, if they're fighting over prices or what the situation is, all I know is that we're set up and we get hurt and if things change, we are set up with a plan we signed up for today,"  said Opel.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services pulled its campaign promoting the end of open enrollment for 'Obamacare' last week.

The former Obama administration projected that 13.8 million people would sign up for coverage in 2017. As of December 24th, 2016, 11.5 million had enrolled.

For those still wanting to sign up, you have until 2:59 AM in Florida to enroll or renew. You can do so online or you can go to the office at the Mall of the Americas. They will be open until 3 a .m.

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