patrick.net

I wonder if it's that they didn't have the site ready for the level of traffic it would generate, or whether it's that they didn't have it ready for attacks from hackers.

No excuse, even for the latter. They had to know that hackers would be trying real hard to disrupt it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack

If it is DOS attacks, I doubt they will say so. They don't want to give anyone else ideas.

To hell with first-day glitches, have anybody actually got a quote from the new exchanges?

I did, and I'm horrified. The cheapest (bronze) PPO plan came at $788 per month with $10K deductible and $12700 max out of pocket. The cheapest HMO - $988 per month with the same deductible and max out of pocket. This is for the family of four (with kids of preschool and elem school age) and with no chronic diseases or preexisting conditions. This is roughly 3-5 times more per month than I pay now for employer-provided HMO with no deductible. Yikes.

More MVC!!!

Jon Stewart had Sibelius on and she tried to defend the site's poor performance
http://m.comedycentral.com/tds_video.rbml?id=exclusive---kathleen-sebelius-extended-interview-pt--1&weburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.thedailyshow.com%2fwatch%2fmon-january-23-2012%2fexclusive---kathleen-sebelius-extended-interview-pt--1%2f&alt=http%3a%2f%2fm.comedycentral.com%2ftds_video_index.rbml&cid=300

Part 2 http://m.comedycentral.com/tds_video.rbml?id=exclusive---kathleen-sebelius-extended-interview-pt--2

marcus says

I wonder if it's that they didn't have the site ready for the level of traffic it would generate, or whether it's that they didn't have it ready for attacks from hackers.

No excuse, even for the latter. They had to know that hackers would be trying real hard to disrupt it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack

If it is DOS attacks, I doubt they will say so. They don't want to give anyone else ideas.

Denial of Service attacks (DOS) attacks are not secret. In the video a software guy says that volume is not what made the site suck but rather the site itself sucks. Who knows but beta roll outs to limited number of people by age, location alphabetical might have helped but they would have been worried about discrimination so they opened it up all on one day.

Given there are deadlines for signing up i wonder if they will waive the fine if throygh no fault of your own you are not able to sign up in time

Better production value achieved here

http://www.youtube.com/embed/VxU6n4pAnrU

And they apologized for it http://www.cnbc.com/id/100795609

But there were more http://www.policymic.com/articles/46117/irs-video-scandal-agency-caught-red-handed-with-its-employees-in-a-dance-video

Straw Man says

To hell with first-day glitches, have anybody actually got a quote from the new exchanges?

I did, and I'm horrified. The cheapest (bronze) PPO plan came at $788 per month with $10K deductible and $12700 max out of pocket. The cheapest HMO - $988 per month with the same deductible and max out of pocket. This is for the family of four (with kids of preschool and elem school age) and with no chronic diseases or preexisting conditions. This is roughly 3-5 times more per month than I pay now for employer-provided HMO with no deductible. Yikes.

What would you have been paying if it wasn't employer provided?

Bigsby says

Straw Man says

To hell with first-day glitches, have anybody actually got a quote from the new exchanges?

I did, and I'm horrified. The cheapest (bronze) PPO plan came at $788 per month with $10K deductible and $12700 max out of pocket. The cheapest HMO - $988 per month with the same deductible and max out of pocket. This is for the family of four (with kids of preschool and elem school age) and with no chronic diseases or preexisting conditions. This is roughly 3-5 times more per month than I pay now for employer-provided HMO with no deductible. Yikes.

What would you have been paying if it wasn't employer provided?

I didnt get a quote but from what i have seen people reporting the quotes are pretty much in line with what youd pay calling blue cross. I think though there are subsidies based on income levels. Seems to me this system really just facilitates (once the system works) getting people to buy insurance.

Not sure why the xchanges are even necessary. If they are going to mandate insurance and not go the single payer route or stay the free market route, why not just mandate insurance and have healthcare.gov provide info on tips and where to get insurance?

I cant think of an analogue like this where the government acts as agent for you. The post office sells you stamps directly, some states operate liquor stores where they sell you wine and spirits
The buying of stamps and alcohol is not mandated but the govt provides the goods.

Under the AHCA buying insurance is mandated by the government but they dont sell it to you they arrange the transaction taking your info along the way and fining you if you dont use them as agent or buy your own insurance.

Seems to me that the ahca adds a massive layer of 100% unnecessary bureaucracy. Under single payer there would be plenty of bureacracy but that would be part of the adminstration of the service. Here they just seem to be inefficient officious middlemen.

Glitches here too as electrical fires plague new NSA building http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2013/10/07/the-nsas-hugely-expensive-utah-data-center-has-major-electrical-problems-and-basically-isnt-working/

Low credit scores makes insurance under the ahca more expensive http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Lead-health-care-navigator-in-Florida-provides-wrong-information-on-credit-scores/-/1637132/22341034/-/md8ohn/-/index.html

Boener in a rare moment of clarity!

I half expected him to start crying after he said it.

"How can we tax people for not buying a product from a web site that doesn't work."

http://www.youtube.com/embed/2A9FV7vtYkY

APOCALYPSEFUCK is Comptroller says

I registered on the website and almost immediately got an email form Michelle Obama offering me a chance to buy a DEATH PANEL exemption card that would get my name off of the termination log she had on file at the White House.

Wow I thought they were only offering those exemptions to corporations!

Website was probably written by a minority contractor.

They hired bunch of cheap overseas labor, poorly designed product. Results speak for themselves. This is why we need to end "no bid" contracts in this nation, way too many losers already comfortable in the system leeching it because they know the right people, but can't create a good product, so just screwing everyone else.

APOCALYPSEFUCK is Comptroller says

No shit. Michelle Obama is looking in my living room window right now shaking a pitchfork at me and making big eyes. She's taking this DEATH PANEL thing way too seriously.

Lighten her up with this:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ogJFXqYEYd8

smaulgld says

If they are going to mandate insurance and not go the single payer route or stay
the free market route

There were some things in the law that needed to be made; things like no pre-conditions, no lifetime limits, a lid on how much difference in charging folks who are similar. Then there were some stupid things like kids under 26 still on parents insurance, the birth control thing.

The biggest problem is that those who are/will sign up will be those who don't make enough money so that ALL the premium will be paid for by the taxpayer. And those with medical conditions who cost a lot to insure. I mean if I'm 28, working at a Starbucks and my premium is going to cost me even $100 a month (after subsidies) OR I'll pay a $95 fine at the end of the year ... I'm taking the fine, saving $2305 over the monthly premiums and moving on. It was poorly concieved, poorly written law that was jammed down our throats.

mmmarvel says

There were some things in the law that needed to be made; things like no pre-conditions, no lifetime limits, a lid on how much difference in charging folks who are similar. Then there were some stupid things like kids under 26 still on parents insurance, the birth control thing.

Thanks for the explanation

Individual pieces of legislation on those items could have been introduced.

Bigsby says

What would you have been paying if it wasn't employer provided?

Good question. I didn't shop last year of a year before that but I vaguely remember that 3 years ago the price for the similar plan was about 2x the price I was paying through employer-provided plan (could be wrong, but this is how I remember it). And no outrageous $10K deductibles (sure about this one).