According to cnn.com, the government reported Sunday that more than 1.1 million people enrolled in health care coverage through the federal marketplace between October 1 and December 24.
The majority, which is a reported 975,000 people, enrolled in December; Marilyn Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said in a blog post.
She dubbed it “a welcome surge in enrollment,” which comes in part to improvements on the website, healthcare.gov.
The enrollment does not include individuals who signed up for insurance through state-run marketplaces. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia operate their own exchanges.
Several states, including California who saw 77,000 people pick a plan before the deadline, reported a surge in enrollment.
Those that missed last week’s deadline can still sign up by January 15 for coverage that starts February 1.
The Obama administration’s goal is to reach 7 million enrollees through both federal and state exchanges by the end of March.