(Bloomberg) — More than half a million people signed up for Obamacare plans (also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) during the first week that government-run markets were open, in what is projected to be a challenging year of trying to reach new people who haven't yet been covered by the law.

In total, 543,098 people picked plans.

The U.S.-run marketplaces for health insurance opened on Sunday, Nov. 1, about two weeks earlier than last year when about 462,000 people signed up for coverage during the first week of enrollment.

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