In a last-minute push to boost enrollment, the Hawaii Health Connector has temporarily doubled its call center staff before a Monday sign-up deadline for coverage beginning Jan. 1.

The Connector enrolled 1,100 people as of Friday on the state’s online health insurance marketplace created by President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Marketplace officials couldn’t predict how many more would enroll before the president’s signature health reform law takes effect in 2014.

"There have been various challenges that may have prevented individuals from enrolling in a plan by the Dec. 23 deadline. Yet, we realize coverage beginning in the New Year is important to many individuals," said Tom Matsuda, the Connector’s interim executive director. There are now 50 call center workers for an anticipated surge in enrollments this weekend, he said.

"We expect a lot of people to be interested in signing up. It’s mainly for the people who want to get coverage in place by Jan. 1. We need to do everything we can to accommodate as many as we can."

If consumers enroll on Dec. 24, coverage will begin a month later on Feb. 1, according to Kaiser Permanente and Hawaii Medical Service Association, the only two insurers participating on the state-based insurance exchange.

The Connector, assigned to sign up Hawaii residents for medical coverage under so-called Obamacare, is the only place consumers and small businesses can apply for tax credits to reduce the cost of insurance.

For those who have not yet started the enrollment process, Matsuda said it is not too late.

"The fastest path to obtain coverage is to enroll in the Hawaii Health Connector by Dec. 23 and forgo possible tax credits or subsidies to ensure your coverage can begin Jan. 1," he said, adding that consumers can separately apply for financial assistance and then cancel their insurance policies once they are approved for subsidized health plans. "It’s not ideal. It will create some headaches, but at least they can get coverage and that’s the important thing."

Small businesses that signed up on the Connector also must get employees enrolled in health plans by Monday.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most Americans must obtain medical coverage or face tax penalties next year. The federal government extended the payment deadline for Obamacare health plans to Jan. 10. Open enrollment runs through March.

The Connector, which got off to a slow start, was supposed to launch Oct. 1 but did not go live until Oct. 15 due to software problems that continue to plague the system.

Many residents are now scrambling to sign up on the Connector website, which was down for most of the past week.

"We at the Hawaii Health Connector are still not where we want to be," Matsuda said. "The Hawaii Health Connector has made a lot of progress since Oct. 1 … but we still have a long way to go."

For enrollment questions, call the customer service support center at 877-628-5076.