The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be put to the test once again as the Healthcare.gov federal health insurance marketplace starts its second open enrollment period of Saturday.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), potential consumers seeking health insurance can sign up for plans on Healthcare.gov or phone its call center and request in-person assistance.

Ahead of the second open enrollment launch, Healthcare.gov has reportedly received upgrades to combat potential security risks and technical mishaps.

"We've tested and retested our systems, putting ourselves through some of the industry's most stringent protocols to ensure we're taking the steps necessary to safeguard consumers' personal information," HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said, adding its cyber-security team was enhanced with a team ranging from public and private sectors.

Burwell claimed the feedback about Healthcare.gov was heard and taken into consideration for the second open enrollment period. She said consumers, either applying for the first time or renewing their plans, will encounter more options and improved service as 1,000 representatives were added to their 24-hour call center.

Burwell said, "Whether consumers visit the simpler, faster and more intuitive HealthCare.gov or contact the call center, they're going to find more choices and competitive prices."

"We really wanted to spend the year focused on how to make it work better for consumers who were coming to HealthCare.gov, and we put through a series of upgrades over the summer," said HHS' Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Principal Deputy Director Andy Slavitt.

For CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, Saturday signifies the "beginning of an intense open enrollment period," in addition to a public education campaign about Healthcare.gov.

Tavenner noted 7.3 million Americans enrolled through the federal health insurance marketplace have insurance and paid their premiums. The HHS has yet to reveal the total enrollment figure, of either paid or unpaid enrollees, due to a computer system that "isn't fully operational."

President Barack Obama also commented on the status of Healthcare.gov and the second enrollment period during the press conference after the midterm Election Day.

"We're really making sure the website works super well before the next open enrollment period," Obama said on Nov. 5. "We're double and triple checking it. I think a lot of people who maybe initially thought we're not sure how this works, let's wait and see -- they're going to have an opportunity now to sign up."

Obtaining health insurance from Healthcare.gov is only valid for U.S. citizens still living within the country. Individuals who chose not to receive health insurance will pay a higher penalty fee for 2015 than the rate set in 2014. For 2015's rates, the penalty is 2 percent of the individual's income or $325 per adult and $162.50 per child, "whichever is more."

Healthcare.gov functions for more than 30 states that have not created its state-operated marketplace. Thirteen states and Washington, D.C., have their respective health insurance marketplace in place.

Enrollees who select a plan by Dec. 15 could start receiving their coverage starting Jan. 1, 2015. The second open enrollment period concludes Feb. 15.

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