Status of the healthcare.gov website: SITE IS NOW FUNCTIONAL
See below for my healthcare.gov application process notes.
The government responded to criticism that people couldn't get cost estimates without creating user account.
COST ESTIMATOR (2 WAYS):
1) HEALTHCARE.GOV FIND PREMIUM ESTIMATES SITE
- This allows you to get estimate for your state and specific county using THIS LINK.
- I am trying to verify if rates listed in Estimator are accurate, but if so, people are in for a very pleasant surprise with the Affordable Care Act, especially if employer-subsidized plans will soon be competing with these plans.
2) HEALTH PLAN INFORMATION SITE
- This site seems to match up with prices from the estimator site above
- The best way to see your state and county prices is to download excel spreadsheet but you can also scroll down the website to find your state and county
HEALTHCARE.GOV APPLICATION PROCESS
- healthcare.gov account activation via web site is now working and sending activation email but ONLY when using Firefox (didn't test Chrome) -- When you try logon with Internet Explorer 10, it takes you to "website cannot be found" page
- After logon using new account, you have to enter basic Contact information again and you may get hung up here with error "Account information could not be verified" -- I spoke with someone in chat and they said this is due to high volume glitch issue BUT after clicking Continue a couple more times, I got past this point to "Help applying for coverage" screen
- I entered all the fields to verify identity but when I clicked "Verify My Identity," it took me back to Contact form, which I re-entered -- As I was struggling to get past this point, I got a "You have a Marketplace message waiting" email which requested additional proof of identity to be uploaded
- Clicked email link (in firefox), and it took me to screen requesting identity verification
- Need to upload documents to verify identity, now waiting on this step...
To me, getting to this point shows site is up. Everything looks much better than last week.
I recommend Daily Kos, Democratic Party sites, etc. provide a link on this type of information since the process isn't easy for non-technical people. We need to be honest and open about the status, which is almost there!
I'm still comparing to my company plan, which is not very good. My company might subsidize me in a different individual plan so I'm just checking everything out.
I am really hoping NC will eventually have a co-op option since government option didn't happen.... but perhaps people will realize the good that the ACA did and insist going to full Medicare For All before that is necessary.
If my company subsidizes half of one of these medium level individual plans, it will be same as what I currently pay with company plan. I might just need to be patient and find out how company plans will change after Jan 1.
That will be my next diary: posting on what people can expect company plans to look like after Jan 1, 2014.