The White House is still blaming the overwhelming turnout for the difficulties millions of Americans encountered when they tried to enroll in the health-plan Marketplace after its rollout last Tuesday. But a tech expert interviewed by the Washington Post said that’s only one of the two problems; the other is bugs in the software that there weren’t time to fix before launch.
As Reuters reports, neither the Obama administration nor the contractor that built Healthcare.gov, CGI Group Inc., has commented on the problems. The site was taken offline late at night over the weekend to find the problems in the code.
But as the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports, people who have been unable to get insurance and need it say they are willing to wait. As one said, "There's a silent majority of us who very much want this law to succeed."
Some frustrated enrollment advisors called "navigators” resorted to paper application forms to enroll consumers, the Associated Press reported. John Foley, who works at the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, is one of many afraid who said he was afraid the computer glitches will turn many against the Affordable Care Act.
Meanwhile in Tampa, about two dozen people met with ACA navigators Saturday at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Recent retiree Wesley Maiyo expressed relief at the prospect of having health insurance again, the Tampa Bay Times reported (paywall alert). Steve Mason, CEO of BayCare Health System, said the law will help people become healthier while saving money.
