Published: Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 12:01 a.m. Last Modified: Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 12:07 a.m.

LAKELAND | Florida has 1,339,791 residents newly enrolled or re-enrolled in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act since Nov.15, part of about 10 million nationwide.

About 38,000 of Florida's total came in the past two weeks.

Most of the newly enrolled nationwide, about 7.5 million, are people using federally facilitated exchanges, as Florida's is. At least 2.4 million more signed up on state-run exchanges, according to figures released Wednesday.

Interest continues as the Feb. 15 open enrollment deadline approaches.

At Winter Haven Hospital, a health-care navigator helping people sign up has at least three or four appointments, scheduled at two-hour intervals, set up daily.

Her clients are mostly women and white or answering "unknown" for their race, said Lisa Patterson, spokeswoman for BayCare Health System, which includes WHH.

Area residents also continue seeking help with enrollment at Central Florida Health Care clinics and other hospitals.

Through Jan. 15, 57 percent of Florida's total were re-enrollees and 43 percent were getting plans for the first time, said Benjamin Wakana, who is with the Department of Health and Human Services.

Ninety-three percent of Florida residents enrolling through the federal website are getting financial assistance through the Affordable Care Act, said Nick Duran, Florida state director for Enroll America.

Excerpt from:

Affordable Care Act: More Florida Residents Enrolling in Health Care