DHAKA: US President Barack Obama says six million people have signed up for health insurance through his signature healthcare overhaul programme.

Obama announced the figure in a conference call with supporters days before the end of the sign-up period for new enrolees.

The figure falls short of the White House`s initial goal of seven million.

But the programme, widely known as "Obamacare", was crippled at its October launch by technical glitches.

Since then, it has largely overcome those problems and most Americans can now sign up without significant hurdles.

The 2010 law, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is intended to extend health insurance to the roughly 48 million Americans who do not receive it through their employers, the government, or a costly privately purchased plan.

It also aimed to slow the growth in the cost of healthcare.

Among its central provisions are online marketplaces called exchanges run by the states and by the federal government on which individuals can purchase health insurance plans, sometimes with generous subsidies, reports BBC.
 
BDST: 1514 HRS, MAR 28 , 2014