One of the few things we can all agree on here is that HealthCare.gov needs to be a success. The more that sign up to the Affordable Care Act the more successful the program will be (especially you healthy youngsters!). The first Federal reporting in November will not only include total enrollments, but accounts created, etc. So we need to get folks back online after the initial frustration and crank this up -- NOW. It is ready enough - and steadily improving.
I am going to quickly diary some helpful hints for those trying to get through the Healthcare.gov sign up -- (in Illinois the website has been a battle but today i was able to get through everything right up to enrollment -- did not enroll yet, still shopping). If you are one of the early enthusiasts who got frustrated and quit, it is time to try again!
Bottom line: It works, options and prices are good in Illinois, some bugs remain but get back in there and sign up!
So after the supine Stay-Puft Marshmallow man the hints...
1. Start over and forget what you already did -- I have tried dozens of times and literally every day since the exchange opened to get through the process. Some of my prior entries (both accounts and data were corrupted). I struggled re entering information many times and couldn't get through the process. Today I started from scratch and everything worked.
2. Establish a new account (you will need a different email to do this). You may need a fresh start to make progress.
3. Once through the new account set up you will verify your account through email (if you wait too long the email link expires) -- get right in there and verify as soon as you get the email
4. Limit the data you input to the minimum. For instance you CAN put in social security and other info but you don't need to -- anything marked optional IGNORE. The fewer things you have to have the system verify the fewer errors possible.
5. Do as much as you can in one sitting. If you go back another time some data may be lost and you may have to restart. The steps are - account set up, email verification, application, personal ID verificiation, compare plans, enroll. I went through the entire chain (didn't enroll yet) in 20 minutes for a family of five... It worked. Some bugs but it worked.
6. Get the word out with your success -- your success is the republicans worst nightmare. Do it and publish and tell your friends/family.
Caveat: if you are counting on a subsidy I can't verify that logic is all working yet, i simply checked NO re the subsidy knowing i could get it later -- for now i just want the application submitted. There is a great deal of processing and logic related to the verification of items to get you the subsidy, if you can skip it for now do so.
(quick background - i have coded extensively and overseen very large scale system implementations -- I am NOT going to comment on the website except to say the performance issues are manageable now and the logic was flawed and you will find some remaining bugs -- but its on track. It certainly could have been better implemented but I each night i have seen logic repairs and it is steadily improving).
I consider this as important as casting your vote in an election. Even if you currently love your healthcare go set up an account and shop. The number of profiles alone that are successfully completed can influence the narrative on the news.