The
White House
More
than just a website
On
October 1st, even as the federal government was shutting down,
HealthCare.gov -- the new Health Insurance Marketplace where people
can find and apply for affordable health insurance plans as part of
Obamacare -- opened for business nationwide.
As
you may have heard, the website launch hasn’t gone nearly as
smoothly as it should have. And with nearly 20 million visits to the
site in the first several weeks, the problems were aggravated by the
website's popularity.
But
even in spite of those problems, thousands of Americans are currently
signing up and saving money. Nearly half a million Americans have
already applied for health insurance through the federal and state
Marketplaces. It's not hard to see why: Once people get through the
door, they overwhelmingly like the benefits and cost of the products
available to them -- especially when compared with the discriminatory
private market that was previously the only game in town.
Some
of the best and brightest are now doing everything they can to fix
the site as quickly as possible. People are working overtime, 24/7,
and we've brought in some of the best IT experts from across the
country to join the team at the federal agency responsible for
running the Marketplace. And as President Obama said today, "Nobody's
madder than me about the fact that the website isn't working as well
as it should, which means it's going to get fixed."
It's
also important to remember that the website is not the only way to
enroll. You can dial the call center at 1-800-318-2596 and apply
directly over the phone. Typically, it takes about 25 minutes for an
individual or about 45 for a family. You can also find local
"navigators" who can help you enroll in person at
LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov.
The
President is the first to admit that the website's problems are
unacceptable. But Obamacare is more than just a website. Most
Americans already have health insurance through their employer,
Medicare, or Medicaid, and they don't need to go to the Marketplace
for new coverage. Instead, the health care law provides new benefits
and increased protection: Young people can stay on their parents'
insurance plans until they are 26, seniors are receiving more
affordable prescription medicine, and preventive care like mammograms
are free
So
while there are major improvements to make on the new website,
millions of Americans are already benefiting from the health care
law. And we're making sure that those who don't have access to
affordable health insurance today can sign up -- online, on the
phone, and even in person.
Here
are some of the things we've done in the meantime to make the process
easier. Take a look, and pass this message along to those you know
who are trying to sign up for health care:
You
can now preview plans and prices available in your area without
filling out the online application.
You
can find out, with an improved calculator, whether your income and
household size may qualify you for lower costs on your monthly
premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
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