It’s not really a huge surprise that the websites launched as part of the Affordable Care Act are having some problems. Launching any major web initiative, public or private, is going to run into some fairly common hiccups, especially ones where the servers get slammed. But apparently fixing them is going to take a while.
In fact, this may actually create some paperwork problems. Why? Well, the sites might not be fully up and running before the December 15th deadline to get some insurance:
Administration officials approached the contractors last week to see if they could perform the necessary repairs and reboot the system by Nov. 1. However, that goal struck many contractors as unrealistic, at least for major components of the system. Some specialists working on the project said the online system required such extensive repairs that it might not operate smoothly until after the Dec. 15 deadline for people to sign up for coverage starting in January, although that view is not universally shared.
Up to five million lines of code may need to be rewritten. So, in other words, it’s about what you expect from a major bureaucracy launching a website.
That said, though, there are a few things people should be aware of. First of all, you need to be using your state’s website to find insurance, not the federal webpage. Secondly, expect annoying paperwork problems for a long time, but most of these problems are, by all accounts, exaggerated; they can largely be fixed by clicking the reload button and being patient. Remember that the loudest complaining comes from old people who hate the Internet and Obama, not necessarily in that order.
It’s true that this is not going to change any time soon, but honestly? This is still vastly better than it used to be. Here’s John Green putting some claims to the test and giving you a taste of the Kafkaesque hell that is interacting with insurance companies:
Obama is right: These websites need to work much more smoothly. By the same token, though, it’s going to be hard to miss what they’re replacing.