Obama Administration Now Encouraging Americans To Apply For Obamacare By Phone

There's already a big change this Monday morning on HealthCare.gov, the federal website where consumers have had (so far) anything but a smooth time signing up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Now featured on the site is an "apply by phone" button, reminding customers that they can apply for coverage over the phone. In its first three weeks live, the HealthCare.gov website has been a glitch-filled disaster that has prevented people from signing up for coverage that can begin as soon as Jan. 1.

Here's a look at the new site:

Compared with the old:

President Barack Obama is set to address and give an apology of sorts about the website Monday morning, when he will deliver a statement from the Rose Garden.

"The President will directly address the technical problems with HealthCare.gov - troubles that he and his team find unacceptable - and discuss the actions he has pushed for to make it easier for consumers to comparison shop and enroll for insurance while work continues around the clock to improve the website," a White House official said in an email.

Needless to say, comparing insurance plans - and signing up - would be a complicated and more time-consuming process by phone.

Other changes to the site include a contact number that's displayed above the fold on the homepage.