It seems that everyone with a blog has a tale about their failed attempt to sign up on-line for Obamacare. My own tale is already a month old and is no different from all the others, but I'm starting to feel like there is a noticeable void in my blog without out, so here it is . . .
Shortly before the launch of www.healthcare.gov, I visited www.healthcare.org, which appears to be a website set up by the healthcare insurance industry to promote the still-gestating government-managed scheme. It attempted to dispel the many "myths" about ACA, and gave assurances that the skies would always be sunny atop Big Rock Candy Mountain.
The website has a handy calculator you can use to determine whether you will qualify for a government subsidy for the purchase of mandated coverage. I do not qualify. Another section walks you through the process of determining whether you will be hit with a tax/penalty and how much that will be. Yes, I would owe a tax/penalty but for the grandfathered status of my existing high-deductible policy. If I change my policy in any way, then the tax/penalty will kick in.
The website claims that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, less than 2% of Americans will actually be hit with a tax/penalty. Except for my tenuous grandfather status, I would fall into that 2% category. I'm finding it hard to believe that my circumstances are really that unique.
A couple of days after the launch of www.healthcare.gov, I decided to check it out just to see what my options are. I went into the office early, thinking I might need a few extra minutes to complete the process. A half an hour later, I hadn't managed to get as far as creating an account for logging in. For a lengthy period of time, the screen would tell me to be patient while I waited for the scree for creating an account. Once it proceeded to the account creation page, I
entered the requested information and established a username and
password. The system sent a confirmation link to my email address and I
clicked on it. I received a message telling me my account was
successfully created. I was automatically directed to the log-in
page. I entered my username and password and I received a message telling
me they were invalid. I tried again – same result. I clicked on
“forgot password.” A new link was emailed to me. I followed the
link, answered the security questions, and then reset my password. Then a
message told me that the reset failed because I did not answer the security
questions correctly. (I know I answered them correctly. I couldn't have forgotten the name of my first pet that quickly.) I started
all over, creating a new account. Same result.
In the end, I created three accounts, none of which would allow me to log in. (Now I'm likely on a government watch list for creating multiple accounts.) I had the option of calling an 800-number, or seek the assistance of a government funded "Navigator" who could coach me on lying my way through the system, but instead, I decided to abandon the quest. I emailed a local insurance agent who emailed me multiple quotes for Obama-compliant policies within a couple of hours.
