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Obama to address healthcare website glitches Obama addresses healthcare website glitches
(34 minutes later)
President Barack Obama is set to acknowledge widespread technical issues that have plagued the rollout of a major element of his healthcare law. President Barack Obama has acknowledged widespread technical issues that have plagued the rollout of a major element of his 2010 healthcare law.
In a Rose Garden press conference on Monday, Mr Obama is expected to say the website glitches are "unacceptable". In a Rose Garden press conference on Monday, Mr Obama said that despite that its problems, the website was delivering affordable coverage.
Those attempting to sign up for health insurance have reported persistent issues since the 1 October rollout.Those attempting to sign up for health insurance have reported persistent issues since the 1 October rollout.
US health officials say experts from inside and outside the government are now working to fix the site. US health officials have ordered a "tech surge" to fix the site.
The website's issues have been overshadowed by the recent partial government shutdown, in which Republican lawmakers attempted to gut the law through US budgetary brinkmanship.The website's issues have been overshadowed by the recent partial government shutdown, in which Republican lawmakers attempted to gut the law through US budgetary brinkmanship.
Obama 'frustrated' 'It's really good'
Mr Obama said on Monday: "You've probably heard that healthcare.gov, the new website where people can apply for health insurance and browse and buy affordable plans in most states, hasn't worked as smoothly as it was supposed to work.
"The number of people who've visited the site has been overwhelming, which has aggravated some of these underlying problems.
"Despite all that, thousands of people are signing up and saving money as we speak."
He said that notwithstanding the website's problems, it was proving popular.
"That product is working," he said, "it's really good".
"And it turns out there's massive demand for it - so far the national website, healthcare.gov, has been visited nearly 20 million times."
Mr Obama was joined at Monday's event by people who have successfully enrolled during the first three weeks.
The website, healthcare.gov, is supposed to serve as a clearinghouse for uninsured Americans searching for medical coverage on exchanges set up by the law.The website, healthcare.gov, is supposed to serve as a clearinghouse for uninsured Americans searching for medical coverage on exchanges set up by the law.
The site serves both as a check to see if applications qualify for government subsidies for the cost of private insurance, as well as being the first enrolment step for specific plans.The site serves both as a check to see if applications qualify for government subsidies for the cost of private insurance, as well as being the first enrolment step for specific plans.
It is hoped the exchanges will be the gateway for covering an estimated seven million Americans without health insurance.It is hoped the exchanges will be the gateway for covering an estimated seven million Americans without health insurance.
The White House has said almost half a million people have applied for healthcare through both federal and state-run exchanges since 1 October.The White House has said almost half a million people have applied for healthcare through both federal and state-run exchanges since 1 October.
Exchanges run by individual states do not appear to have been plagued to the same extent by technical problems.Exchanges run by individual states do not appear to have been plagued to the same extent by technical problems.
White House officials initially blamed the gremlins on heavy interest in the site - which has had 19 million visitors since it opened - but they recently conceded the flaws were larger and involved software and system design issues. White House officials initially blamed the gremlins on heavy interest in the site, but they recently conceded the flaws were larger and involved software and system design issues.
"I think that there's no-one more frustrated than the president at the difficulty in the website," Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told broadcaster NBC on Sunday."I think that there's no-one more frustrated than the president at the difficulty in the website," Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told broadcaster NBC on Sunday.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which runs the exchanges, said in a blog post it had already begun to make improvements.The Department of Health and Human Services, which runs the exchanges, said in a blog post it had already begun to make improvements.
"We know there's still more work to be done," the statement said, adding "our team is bringing in some of the best and brightest from both inside and outside government" to fix the ongoing issues."We know there's still more work to be done," the statement said, adding "our team is bringing in some of the best and brightest from both inside and outside government" to fix the ongoing issues.
But the administration has not offered further details on who was being brought in from outside the government and the specific causes of the ongoing glitches. But the administration has offered few details on who was being brought in from outside the government and the specific causes of the ongoing glitches.
Mr Obama is expected to be joined at Monday's event by people who have successfully enrolled during the first three weeks.
Passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, has rolled out in multiple steps, including coverage requirements on insurance companies and future tax penalties for those who remain uninsured.Passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, has rolled out in multiple steps, including coverage requirements on insurance companies and future tax penalties for those who remain uninsured.
Republicans in Congress have repeatedly attempted to repeal or remove funding from the law, most recently during a 16-day government shutdown which ended with no major concessions from Mr Obama.Republicans in Congress have repeatedly attempted to repeal or remove funding from the law, most recently during a 16-day government shutdown which ended with no major concessions from Mr Obama.
Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has also been criticised by Republican lawmakers for declining an invitation to testify about the glitches on 24 October.Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has also been criticised by Republican lawmakers for declining an invitation to testify about the glitches on 24 October.
Although the law remains divisive, a recent Gallup poll suggests only 29% of the public favours a complete repeal.Although the law remains divisive, a recent Gallup poll suggests only 29% of the public favours a complete repeal.