Roughly 1,000 more organizations have been approved since August by the Department of Health and Human Services to receive reimbursements for their early retirees' medical claims.

That brings the total number of approvals to nearly 3,000 organizations, including large and small businesses, state and local governments, educational institutions, nonprofits and unions – among them, giants like PepsiCo., Kellogg Company and Wells Fargo.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration set aside $5 billion for the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program to help employers and unions maintain coverage for early retirees age 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare.