This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/healthcaregov-pushed-beyond-capacity-new-applications-halted/2014/03/31/03cbc234-b8fb-11e3-96ae-f2c36d2b1245_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| HealthCare.gov stumbles twice on deadline day | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| As Americans around the country raced on Monday to sign up for health plans in new insurance marketplaces before a midnight deadline, HealthCare.gov, the online federal insurance exchange, was closed to new customers for two periods starting at dawn. | As Americans around the country raced on Monday to sign up for health plans in new insurance marketplaces before a midnight deadline, HealthCare.gov, the online federal insurance exchange, was closed to new customers for two periods starting at dawn. |
| Federal health officials said that a midday shutdown was caused primarily by the large numbers of customers coming to the federal Web site, while software problems were responsible for the site opening about three hours late in the morning. | Federal health officials said that a midday shutdown was caused primarily by the large numbers of customers coming to the federal Web site, while software problems were responsible for the site opening about three hours late in the morning. |
| Both the onrush of new customers and the possibility of computer troubles had been anticipated by Obama adminsitration officials as the end of the six-month window approaches for people to buy new health plans under the Affordable Care Act, a 2010 reshaping the U.S. health care system. Mindful of a potential last-munite frenzy, health officials decided last week to let anyone ask for extra time — until a so-far unspecified time in April — if they attempt to enroll in a health plan by the deadline. | Both the onrush of new customers and the possibility of computer troubles had been anticipated by Obama adminsitration officials as the end of the six-month window approaches for people to buy new health plans under the Affordable Care Act, a 2010 reshaping the U.S. health care system. Mindful of a potential last-munite frenzy, health officials decided last week to let anyone ask for extra time — until a so-far unspecified time in April — if they attempt to enroll in a health plan by the deadline. |
| Shortly after noon on Monday, visitors arriving for the first time to the Web site were greeted with a screen saying, “We need you to wait here, so we can make sure there’s room for you to have a good experience on our site.” The screen invited them to leave email addresses so that they could be contacted when the volume lessened, although it was unclear whether that would be later today or after the official deadline. | Shortly after noon on Monday, visitors arriving for the first time to the Web site were greeted with a screen saying, “We need you to wait here, so we can make sure there’s room for you to have a good experience on our site.” The screen invited them to leave email addresses so that they could be contacted when the volume lessened, although it was unclear whether that would be later today or after the official deadline. |
| By about 1:30 p.m., the site began to reopen, although access to it remained intermittent. | By about 1:30 p.m., the site began to reopen, although access to it remained intermittent. |
| During that interval, consumers were unable to start new applications, although those who already were farther along in the steps towards enrollment were able to continue, according to Aaron Albright, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency overseeing the new insurance exchange. | During that interval, consumers were unable to start new applications, although those who already were farther along in the steps towards enrollment were able to continue, according to Aaron Albright, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency overseeing the new insurance exchange. |
| The midday troubles were caused primarily by the volume of people trying to sign up, said a federal health official, speaking on condition of anonymity about information that has not been made public. | The midday troubles were caused primarily by the volume of people trying to sign up, said a federal health official, speaking on condition of anonymity about information that has not been made public. |
| At noon, 109,000 people at once were on HealthCare.gov, twice as many as the day before, according to federal health officials. | At noon, 109,000 people at once were on HealthCare.gov, twice as many as the day before, according to federal health officials. |
| The pauses in new sign-ups have come as record numbers of people on Monday also flooded a network of call centers for help in getting insurance through the marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. By noon on Monday, the centers logged 350,000 callers, roughly triple the volume on the second-highest day, Dec. 23, as the deadline approached for people to choose health plans in time for their coverage to start on New Year’s Day. Earlier on Monday morning, HealthCare.gov also had troubles. Because of a software problem, technical support workers kept the site down until a few minutes after 8 a.m. — about three hours after the site was scheduled to reopen after routine nightly maintenance. | The pauses in new sign-ups have come as record numbers of people on Monday also flooded a network of call centers for help in getting insurance through the marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. By noon on Monday, the centers logged 350,000 callers, roughly triple the volume on the second-highest day, Dec. 23, as the deadline approached for people to choose health plans in time for their coverage to start on New Year’s Day. Earlier on Monday morning, HealthCare.gov also had troubles. Because of a software problem, technical support workers kept the site down until a few minutes after 8 a.m. — about three hours after the site was scheduled to reopen after routine nightly maintenance. |
| Related stories: | Related stories: |
| Have you used the new exchanges? Share your story here | Have you used the new exchanges? Share your story here |
| Understanding the Affordable Care Act | Understanding the Affordable Care Act |
| Your Obamacare questions, answered | Your Obamacare questions, answered |
| Everything you need to know about the health-care law’s problems | Everything you need to know about the health-care law’s problems |