Updated

The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it was delaying the deadline for people with pre-existing conditions to enroll in ObamaCare.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Tuesday that it was moving the deadline to March 15 from January 31, the originally scheduled end of the enrollment period.

"As part of our continuing effort to help smooth consumers' transition into Marketplace coverage, we are allowing those covered by (the Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Plan) additional time to shop for new coverage while they receive the ongoing care and treatment they need," HHS spokeswoman Joanne Peters said in a statement.

The announcement marked the second time the pre-existing condition enrollment deadline had been pushed back. The deadline to enroll was originally the end of December, but problems with the federal health-care exchange site forced the White House to move the end date back by one month.

Citing an HHS official, The Hill reported Tuesday that less than 30,000 people were enrolled in the PCIP program.

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