The "Affordable Care Act" - The website is broken and is NOT improving (3 weeks of governmental ineptness). They now have "lost" my application.

Because Penny is on Cobra and Travis' Humana Individual Health Plan was cancelled as of 12/31 due to the ACA (he was recommended to get coverage under the ACA), we've been trying to access the ACA marketplace since it opened on October 1st at 12:01 am. Folks, this website and it's backoffice is truly a complete utter disaster. Below, I will post what I've been dealing with so one can get an idea of just how bad this rollout of governmental services is.

From October 1st, 2013 through today, this is what I have posted on Facebook about my ACA / Obamacare experience:

 

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October 1 12:30 am

Created a user account /pw on the ACA marketplace site. So of course, as soon as I verified the email account, the login does not work. I sent the forgot user ID / pw and went through the process. It is now supposed to send me an email with instructions to change the pw. Nothing received yet. Of course, the site's backoffice IT is not up to the task.

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"The information you entered isn't valid. Review this information. If you're having trouble, call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325."

October 1 at 12:32am

 

Nope, now the site has crashed............. UGH!!!!!

October 1 at 12:34am

 

Just got the pw email: You’re getting this message because you forgot your password. Please click the link below to reset your password. If you didn’t request this change, please call 1-800-318-2596. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325.

October 1 at 12:35am

 

I clicked on the link, and I got the following: "We weren't able to process your request because we couldn't find a Marketplace profile that matched the information that you provided."

October 1 at 12:36am

 

Our government at work folks.........

October 1 at 12:36am

 

Live chat function:

October 1 at 12:41am

 

waiting.....

October 1 at 12:44am

 

[12:38:45 am]: Thanks for contacting Health Insurance Marketplace Live Chat. Please wait while we connect you to someone who can help.
[12:38:50 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:39:30 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:40:07 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:40:40 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:41:19 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:41:55 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:42:34 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:43:13 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:43:53 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:44:32 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:45:10 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:45:55 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:46:32 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:47:05 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:47:40 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:48:19 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:48:52 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:49:28 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:50:04 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:50:36 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:51:14 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:51:45 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:52:20 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:52:56 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:53:31 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:54:14 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:54:56 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:55:45 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:56:36 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:57:28 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:58:21 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:59:06 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:00:02 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:00:56 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:01:45 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:02:30 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:03:16 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:03:51 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:04:35 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:05:21 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[01:06:07 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.

October 1 at 1:06am

 

The message waiting to be sent? "This marketplace website does not work correctly (it was launched with problems in the back office). My id was correctly created as was the pw. After verifying my address by clicking on the link, the login doesn't work. The reset PW function doesn't work (as it doesn't see my "profile"). Authentication as a process is not functioning correctly and I need to sign up my wife immediately."

October 1 at 1:07am

 

I went to the login page this morning and this is my message: "We have a lot of visitors on our site right now and we're working to make your experience here better. Please wait here until we send you to the login page. Thanks for your patience!"

October 1 at 8:41am

 

Really? REALLY?????? So far ( 8 1/2 hours in ), the site gets a large "Fail".

October 1 at 8:42am

 

"The System is down at the moment. We're working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Please try again later."

October 1 at 9:20am

"Please include the reference ID below if you wish to contact us at 1-800-318-2596 for support.

Error from: https%3A//www.healthcare.gov/marketplace/global/en_US/registration
Reference ID: 0.cd27c517.1380636133.ec90fec"

October 1 at 9:21am

 

Health Insurance Marketplace: "Please wait
We have a lot of visitors on our site right now and we're working to make your experience here better. Please wait here until we send you to the login page. Thanks for your patience!"

October 1 at 9:23am

 

Walking away from the site. The latest: "Gateway Timeout
The proxy server did not receive a timely response from the upstream server.
Reference #1.c6ef3e17.1380641098.1131266b "

October 1 at 10:25am

 

October 4 11:32 pm

Healthcare.gov is still NOT working for me. The website is horribly coded and needs to be fixed...... NOW:  

http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-experts-architecture-obamacare-website-220443784--sector.html

 

October 14 8:52 pm

I finally got signed up on the healthcare.gov site (it only took 14 days). What a LOUSY experience. Now I have to wait while my credentials/background/income is processed before seeing my choices. I have no doubt I'll have to wait another 14 days for that:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/10/14/obamacares-website-is-crashing-because-it-doesnt-want-you-to-know-health-plans-true-costs/?partner=yahootix

 

October 17 10:35 pm

The Obamacare Sage continues (my status has been "In Progress" for over 2 days). So essentially, I can't check out my "choices" in the marketplace:

View my current applications

2014 Illinois application for Individual & Family Coverage

Status: In progress ID#: xxxxxxxxx

 

October 22 12:17 pm

So.... the "online chat" at Healthcare.gov is completely useless <<bangs head>>:

[12:06:06 pm]: Thanks for contacting Health Insurance Marketplace Live Chat. Please wait while we connect you to someone who can help.
[12:06:10 pm]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
[12:06:21 pm]: Welcome! You're now connected to Health Insurance Marketplace Live Chat. Thanks for contacting ...us. My name is Alma. To protect your privacy, please don't provide any personal information, like Social Security Number, or any other sensitive medical or personal information.
[12:06:41 pm]: Alma   - Hello, in order to provide you with accurate information, are you looking for information about health insurance in the state you live in or a different state? If so can I please have your state
[12:06:46 pm]: Steinar - I am trying to find out what the status is regarding my application.
[12:06:56 pm]: Steinar - Illinois
[12:07:45 pm]: Steinar - I clicked on my Applications and Coverage. Yesterday, it said "In progress". Today, I see nothing.
[12:10:40 pm]: Alma - We have a lot of visitors trying to use our website right now. That is causing some glitches for some people trying to create accounts or consumers logging in and accessing their information. Just keep trying at a later time or day, or you can contact our call center and a CSR will be more to glad to view the status of your application. We'll continue working to improve the site so you can get covered! I do apologize for any inconvenience.
[12:11:24 pm]: Steinar - So, nothing can be done but to call the 800 #. Understood

 

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I just got off the phone with healthcare.gov's call center.

They have ZERO ability to see where an application is regarding the process. Apparently, my healthare.gov application has disappeared. The Customer Service Rep recommended that I start another Application (and for those of us who know back office IT electronic/EDI process', putting another application through only makes things worse for ...the different departmental IT tie in's as it results in duplication and usually gets lost in the noise of thousands of xml or asci files between different companies and different governmental departments).

Truly, this is an EPIC "Fail" on a grand scale. The rep recommended that I see a local community resource for help (that won't work by the way, as they use the same online / phone resources.... which I just confirmed by phone), or applying via the paper process (which like any other governmental entity, can take up to 2 months). Just so I can see what options we have regarding Marketplace plans so we can plan our budget).

The Government is officially "broken" as far as I am concerned. It takes over a year for the VA to process anything for me, over 9 months for Social Security to make any decisions (and over 80% of initial applications are usually denied), Medicaid is useless as I cannot find any specialists (Urologists, Rheumatologists, etc. who will actually take new patients or who accept Medicaid), and the State of Illinois is in debt up to their ears and is constantly up to a year behind in reimbursing providers (hence the reason why docs are not accepting Medicaid).

And yet, the talking heads and pundits (along with the Democratic Party) keep on saying how wonderful government is. The media and voters should be ashamed of themselves for not holding the lot of them accountable.

October 22 at 12:55 pm

 

Here is a screenshot of what I am dealing with regarding the ACA (Obamacare) website:

 

October 22 at 1:02 pm

I just called the 800 number again, and I was told that their access to the website to check on the application (I had the Application ID #) has been "down" for 2 days so they can't help until that access returns. I was asked to call tomorrow afternoon to check again.  =(

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So, our Obamacare experience is broken 3 weeks into the process, and no government entity can essentially fix things for those who are actually TRYING to use every aspect of it (online, phone, and 3rd party resources). To say this is frustrating is an understatement. I am hoping that our State's Senators AND Representatives will see this blog entry and use it as Exhibit A in trying to address the many problems there is in the entire process. 

 

http://corvetteraffle.com ~ 14 tickets sold. The effort towards normalcy continues.....

http://corvetteraffle.com

We are up to 14 out of 100 tickets having been sold so far in the first 15 days of the raffle (so the amount is presently at $1,794.94 of the $12,500.00 goal).

For those who have purchased tickets... we thank you so very much. Please spread the news (the only way the raffle works is that all 100 tickets get sold). 86 more tickets to go. I am waiting to hear from http://crowdtitlt.com  if the raffle can be extended to ensure the raffle is successful.

 

Regarding our home.

Today, we applied to "Habitat For Humanities - Repair Corps." for the repair of our front and rear porch. As they are both needing repair, this is the only option available to us considering our financial situation. I am volunteering my sweat equity to help this organization also, so hopefully we can help the other. As this help is for Veterans, I am trying to do what I can to access that help while the help is there.

Our over the stove GE Microwave stopped working 4 days ago. Luckily, our friends Deb and Walter Wolf donated their White Maytag Microwave to us when they did their kitchen remodel a few months ago. Amazingly, it fit the open spot almost spot on (I just had to drill 2 holes to account for the cabinet bolts). It was also a lot lighter than our previous one, so Travis was able to help me with minimal fuss (it took us 25 minutes) as I was having a minimal pain day. We now have a working Microwave again (at no cost which is a good thing... as these cost at least $150 and up new). Thanks so much to the Wolf's for their giving hearts..........

Our health

Penny's "burning" post-op has almost stopped completely, unfortunately... she is now having problems falling asleep at night (and is still having frequent trips to the rest room). 2 more months to go until the next Cystoscopy... so we remain hopeful things are getting better.

I am still fighting the side effects of the multiple medications I am on (six different medications at last count). I am still dealing with obsessing over certain things and still deal with the lack of sleep at night (plus it is taking me a lot to do things on a daily basis as I am still spending a lot of time staying in the home staying away from people.... the anxiety never totally subsides). I went to my counseling session last Friday and the counselor was on vacation (even though she scheduled me to see her), so I spent the time catching up with my shots (and received my flu shot).

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In the interim, it is getting colder and we are running out of decent days before winter. We still have to get the garage organized (I've been trying to get it done for almost 6 months, but my joint pain / gout flare-ups have prevented most of my efforts so far.... that plus all of the weather we've been having.... medical treatments/visits haven't helped). So, we'll keep at it while we still can before it gets too cold.

"Fear not, for I am with you;  be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." ~ Isaiah 41:10

 

http://corvetteraffle.com ~ We are up to 12 tickets sold.

http://corvetteraffle.com

We are up to 12 out of 100 tickets having been sold so far in the first 15 days of the raffle (so the amount is presently at $1,538.52 of the $12,500.00 goal).

For those who have purchased tickets... we thank you so very much. Please spread the news (the only way the raffle works is that all 100 tickets get sold). 88 more tickets to go. I might have to check with http://crowdtitlt.com  if the raffle can be extended to ensure the raffle is successful.

 

Regarding my unemployment (plus financial counseling).
We managed to pay our mortgage thanks to the help of our Church and close friends (plus the fact that my Tier 3 EUC unemployment benefits kicked in today... which was totally unexpected). We are highly concerned that there may be an overpayment as the benefit amount stated on the pay stub indicates $0.00 current benefits available (the numbers don't add up to what we received from IDES regarding our benefits ending last week). The government (it would seem... by example) makes it hard for even an accountant to follow what they generate documentation wise.

We went to the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of McHenry County to discuss our finances and discussed the possibility of bankruptcy starting in January if I am unable to find a job that will accommodate my limitations and if Social Security / VA disability doesn't come through. We don't want to go this route, but we are at the point that we have to consider all possibilities as our situation is not improving.  They agreed that proactive is better than reactive tho, so we are staying ahead of financial catastrophe by looking at all of our options which they agree is the right way to go. They indicated that we are amongst the best prepared of those who come to them for help (and that our budget is so "tight" that they can't think of much that we can do to reduce our costs any further than we have). Our bank statements also showed them our spending, and they also thought we were doing an excellent job with the limited funds we have. Incredibly, the fees associated with this service are being covered by the Veterans Assistance Commission.

We did touch on a touchy subject though. As long as our son Travis lives with us as a dependent (or a resident of the household), his income is counted along with ours regarding any benefits of any kind. We have not charged him any rent or any costs of the household..... ever. At this point, it was suggested to us to establish an amount and to have him start contributing to the household (as he would be doing so if not living with us no matter what). We haven't done so as his income is limited, and we didn't want to take advantage of him (and his limitations)... as we have always considered his needs / concerns first. The thing is, the rest of the world does consider him to be part of our household financially (so it is time we bring this reality to his attention so he isn't blindsided if something was to happen to his mother or myself). As I indicated, a very touchy subject.

Regarding my VA Healthcare treatment.
We received a visit from "Meridian Home Healthcare Services" this afternoon. Apparently, they are assessing me for the VA (for in home occupational therapy and physical therapy). According to the assessment counselor, I am the youngest he has reviewed for such services (normally people being assessed for in home services for the VA are over the age of 65). He also stated that my physical ailments must be bad for the VA to approve such therapy at my home as the VA is usually very stingy about such services due to the cost. I honestly don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing (as it makes me think my physical condition must be worse than I realized).

Regarding our home.
Our over the stove Microwave stopped working 2 days ago. Normally, this is a $200 replacement for a decent one, but we are lucky as our good friends (the Wolf's) redid their kitchen this past summer and we received their over the stove microwave for free. It is sitting in the shed at the moment. I will try to replace it later tonight (they appear to be very closely related regarding their manufacturer / model so it may be as simple as dropping the old one out and putting the new one in using the same back bracket and 2 upper bolts).

Also, our home seems to be better buttoned up regarding retaining heat (due to the new roofing plus siding including the "house wrap insulation" plus "vapor barrier" that was installed last month) as our furnace is rarely coming on since it has gotten colder this past week. We are hoping that this will help reduce our energy costs even more than when we switched to Ambit Energy last year.

God and His blessings.

Given a recent interaction with a very judgmental person who demands reading all of their communication yet dismisses what other's write ("Do what I say and not as I do"), I have the following messages:

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." ~ Proverbs 29:11

"And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." ~ Ephesians 4:32

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ~  Heb 13:5

"When a man walks in integrity and justice, happy are his children after him." ~ Proverbs 20:7

"If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." ~ I John 4:20

 

http://corvetteraffle.com ~ We are up to 10 tickets sold.

http://corvetteraffle.com

We are up to 10 out of 100 tickets having been sold so far in the first 10 days of the raffle (so the amount is presently at $1,282.10 of the $12,500.00 goal).

For those people who have purchased tickets, please spread the news (the only way the raffle works is that all 100 tickets get sold). 90 more tickets to go.   =)

Regarding my unemployment.

God has certainly had a powerful impact in our lives. By the grace of God, we will be able to pay our mortgage and utilities thanks to the hearts/prayers of our church family and friends. The effort to solidify our financial foundation continues, and we are so humbly grateful to those people whose hearts are HUGE and so giving.

We will be going to the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of McHenry County tomorrow to discuss the possibility of... bankruptcy (if my unemployment continues and if my disability claims remain in limbo). We don't want to go this route, but we are at the point that we have to consider all possibilities as our situation is not improving.  =(

Proactive is better than reactive tho, so we will try to stay ahead of financial catastrophe as long as we can while empowered with the best information to move forward. Given we are going into the Holidays and winter, we are trying our best to make it through to the spring "intact". One thing is for sure, medical situations combined with unemployment make for very difficult times. With God's hand in our lives, we have no doubt we will prevail.

Sunday Church at Pingree Grove.

We had a great day at Church. It is getting easier to setup the Café with Lydia and Penny (and Travis is now able to be with us on Sundays since he is no longer working on Sundays). He is looking so forward to finding something to do at the Church (he has such a giving heart). We mentioned to Pastor Tom at the Church meeting last week that we thought the Church may want to look at a LD ("Learning Disabled") program as Travis would love to interact and possibly be part of providing a comfortable atmosphere for others with Learning Disabled children and / or adults. We know of no other Church which does this as a "program", and I am positive that there are families who would love to find a home in Christ (where their loved ones will feel at home and welcome... and not thought of as "different"). It is a dream Travis, Penny and I have. =)

Pumpkin Patch

We then stopped with another family (a member of our church life group) at a local Pumpkin Patch. After enjoying free Christian music and hot cider (and a BEAUTIFUL DAY), we dropped Cindy at her car at Church and went home to the dogs. What a great day this has been.

It is so good to have people involved in our lives who are so positive and supportive. Now we are starting to understand what family actually means (and what others who have families enjoy). Most certainly, our setting up of boundaries with those who seek to put us down has had a major impact in our lives (and those boundaries will remain as long as the enemy uses them to try to get us down a dark path). Been there and done that. No  more.......