AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File

This Oct. 30, 2013, file photo shows Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington. The administration says more than 900,000 people enrolled for coverage under President Barack Obamas health care law in February. But its starting to look like the White House could miss its unofficial goal of signing up 6 million people by the end of open enrollment season March 31.

Posted: Monday, March 17, 2014 5:54 pm | Updated: 5:56 pm, Mon Mar 17, 2014.

Health care sign-ups hit 5M mark Associated Press |

The Obama administration says more than 5 million people have signed up for private health insurance under the new health care law.

That still leaves about 1 million to go over the next two weeks for the White House to meet its latest goal of 6 million enrolled by March 31.

That would work out to more than 70,000 people a day. And some independent analysts say that's a stretch.

Medicare administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced the 5-million milestone in a blog post Monday.

March 31 is the last day to enroll for a taxpayer-subsidized health plan through the new online markets, or exchanges.

It's still unclear whether the White House will grant an additional grace period for people who've started but not finished their applications by that date.

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Health care sign-ups hit 5M mark