ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I know there's already a thread entitled Obamacare, but that seems to have devolved into a political discussion.... My problem is with the nuts & bolts of the ACA application itself.

The husband (retired) & I have health coverage through a European subsidiary of his former international employer, and it's expensive as well as cumbersome to use in this country. Plus it doesn't cover some preventative stuff that the ACA seems to cover.

Last year I tried to explore possibilities under the ACA & got nowhere very fast on the website. This year I got a bit further in before my application bollocksed itself up. I've so far rung two "help" numbers, both of which seem to say the "help" I need MUST be provided by the persons at the other number.... Sigh...

Anyone else ready to tear their hair out over this?

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

For the federal marketplace, according to news reports there has been very few reported problems but I believe that you are on the Connecticut exchange so any responses may not be relevant.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Yes, I'm on a state-run website. The website is definitely working better than last year, but eventually it has stopped dead on more than one problem that I can't seem to get around.

One problem is that the company we get our foreign health insurance through seems to have no US tax ID# or US address....

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I'm afraid all I can say is patience, patience, patience! My OH also uses the CT exchange, and it was hard work to get set up, but the benefits were worth it. He also is trying to update for 2015, and is being driven mad by site anomalies -- before the site will let him see his options for 2015, it wants him to say he is cancelling his current coverage, which of course he won't do until he knows that the other options might be! Just keep trying to get a live person . . .

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Yes, "site anomalies" is a rather nice, diplomatic term for the roadblocks this site has put me through since I first tried to log on Saturday! :lol:

Another problem is that my husband changed his name years ago (very slightly), but we discovered that he forgot to notify Social Security of this, so in the course of my trying to correct this the online application has decided I have two husbands.... :D

I actually managed to speak to two human beings yesterday, but neither could help me, directing me back to the other one... !! So far today both numbers are so busy I can't even get to the automatic menu any more. Give me strength.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Not sure of the situation in CT but I believe many public libraries will have a healthcare navigator or know where to find one. Perhaps face to face help would be better than on the phone.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Thanks for your input, SE. I forgot to mention there was another human being I spoke to today, making three.

It so happens there is a CAC (Certified Application Counselor), not a Healthcare Navigator but close, in our local hospital. She says unfortunately a CAC like her can't access the online application to fix it. She also said that once you have started an application, there's no way to void it and start another. She gave me one of the two "help" numbers with which I'm playing phone tag now.

My closest Health Navigator is located over an hour away, so I'm hoping not to have to be forced to go there...but I may be....

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I think a Navigator is great if you don't understand what your options are, but I think that if the site would just behave properly you would have no problem -- yet again, the problem is with the site. As with the roll out earlier this year, I think that it will get sorted out in time as I'm sure that right now they are deluged with complaints about the malfunctions.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I agree. I think that the Navigators sort of hold your hand & walk you through a new application. Not sure they can correct an application that is as hung up as mine seems to be.

One (or both?) of the phone numbers I have been trying all day is supposed to have someone at the other end who can actually access and input into the online application I've started.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I suspect what happened was that the state evaluated the program after last years enrolment period and decided that there should be changes made to make it more user friendly and reliable and contracted the work to be done. From a programmer's viewpoint, software maintenance is one of the least interesting and most boring jobs around. The contractor also needs the good developers for other projects and if the contractor uses the weaker programmers he'll save money since they are paid less so the job is assigned to it's weakest programmers. After all, the changes are minor so even with weak programmers, it should be a walk in the park.

However that is not the way it works in the real world. Weak programmers can cause more problems than they actually solve.

Now that the state has probably been getting more problem calls this year than they got during the end of the open enrolment period last year, they are probably breathing down the neck of the contractor to solve the problems. First the contractor will try to solve the problems with his weak programmers until the state gets fed up and then the contractor will bring in their good programmers and the problems will start to be solved.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I hope you're right! My OH spent an hour on the phone trying to sort out his status this morning, and was then cut off and has been unable to get the rep back. In the meantime, online it is indicating that he no longer wants coverage. Never a dull moment with the ACA!

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

If you're collecting experiences... at the Covered CA site, for reasons I can't fathom, it believed we had changed our citizenship/immigration info. So it asked us to consent to the changes and explain why (e.g. acquired USC, etc.), and the effective date of the change. I could see no changes in our file so chose Other as the reason and a 1/1/14 as the effective date of that "change". After that it would let us move forward. Very weird.

Applied for a policy, and have heard nothing since, not even a confirmation email.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I'm leaving my application until after Thanksgiving ( so I don't ruin the holiday! ) but I plan to look for a session at the library or somewhere where I can sign up, take copies of my info etc.

Good luck- I know it's a nightmare.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I suspect the Connecticut web site was enhance but without proper oversight. Healthcare.gov was also enhanced but it appears with much better oversight than last year.

About 100,000 Americans have visited HealthCare.gov since Saturday and submitted new applications for health insurance coverage, Health and Human Service Secretary Sylvia Burwell said Sunday. She added that about 500,000 people who already have health insurance were able to successfully log on and view their accounts

Sylvia Burwell: HealthCare.gov working well, 100,000 signed up this weekend - Washington Times

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Once I managed to reset my password (having got myself locked out by entering the wrong one several times) I've had no problems so far.

I've set up an application for me and the kids. Removed the kids from it. Added my citizenship certificate number which I hadn't put in originally.

Now I just need to choose a plan and enroll. Is this the stage where it's going wrong for people?

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Maine is run by Healthcare.gov and so far, there hasn't been any reports of major issues. Hope you aren't the first.;)

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Is the current plan!an Obama compliant?

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Only grandfathered plans that were purchased before March 23, 2010 don't have to be ACA compliant.

This means that on many old plans you can still be dropped from coverage for reasons other than fraud, be denied treatment for preexisting conditions, face annual and lifetime dollar limits and more. The President has announced a plan to allow Americans to keep their health insurance until 2015 (UPDATE: in 2014 this was extended to 2017) even if it doesn’t comply with the new benefits, rights, and protections of the ACA. Some States with working health insurance marketplaces, like Washington State, have rejected the new 2015 deadline and will enforce the original 2014 deadline.

Grandfathered Plans

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Another anomaly I've encountered is that the CA exchange/marketplace doesn't actually represent the market. If you go direct to the Ins Co's websites they offer both On-market and Off-market plans. Why? Is there less consumer protection in the off-market plans? Does CA limit the number a plans an Ins Co can offer on the exchange?

The result is that, if you want to see all the options, you have to go beyond the marketplace and check out Ins Co websites. (This assumes you're not getting a subsidy, where you are limited to the exchange plans).

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Afaik, your last line explains the only difference - only plans available on an exchange are eligible for subsidies. As to why an insurance company would have plans that aren't available on the exchange, I don't know. There is certainly no legal requirement on them to do so.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

OMG, what a relief! :eek: After days of trying off & on, I finally got through to a real human being who was actually able to access my online application, and she has fixed the glitches.

It seems I am eligible for subsidies. My husband is in shock over this, and wants me to call up again tomorrow so he can verify this is true. I've meanwhile been browsing the plans offered to me. Confusing doesn't begin to cover it, so I'm glad I have a little time for research.....

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

The insurance company may possibly not want to put their most expensive or cheapest plans on the exchange. If they put their most expensive plans on the exchange, they could be significantly more expensive than other plans of a similar value and there won't be any takers. For their cheapest plans, they may not want to put that on the exchange since it might be under cutting prices of similar plans and they aren't sure they can make a profit on those plans.

By keeping them off the exchange, they may get a few people that go directly to the insurance company and buy the expensive plans where they'll likely make a lot of money and a few for the cheaper plans to allow them to test the water.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

So I can't see any dental or eye components to the subsidized plans I am offered. Perhaps these health care aspects are handled differently?

How are people doing these? As add-ons? Some friends told us they self-pay for all dental work because the dental plans are not worth the premiums.

I do need regular eye exams for an eye condition I have, and back in blighty this was handled by any optometrist, but I can't figure out whether in this country this coverage normally falls under "medical care" or "eye care" ....

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Dental would be an add-on (if the carrier offers it at all) -- I don't know anyone who has dental coverage. I see an MD (who specializes in eyes) for my vision care and it is billed and covered as a medical expense.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Normally anything outside of normal vision care is covered under the health insurance plan.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

So this means you are paying out of pocket (self paying?) for all dental stuff such as cleanings, checkups, fillings, etc.?

And thank you muchly, Nutmegger, for advising me to be patient and keep trying the ACA help number.... :thumbup: I was becoming certain that no one would ever answer and I didn't want to run my phone credit down by staying on hold for hours. So I did keep trying quick calls whenever I could, and finally--days later--I got through to a very helpful person who solved my online application problems & walked me through the rest of the process.

Hmm, I don't know whether this would be in or out of normal vision care in the USA. I had surgery for a detaching retina, and need regular retina checks. I suppose I could call the insurance company directly & ask. :-/

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

With a detached retina issue, normally you need an ophthalmologist to examine the eye, take pictures, and compare against your last check and that normally is not considered normal vision care. Vision care normally only consists of a $60-$80 eye test and eye check plus glasses or contact lens.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

How can it make sense? Like buying insurance to pay for your oil change.

Now if someone else is paying for it or part of it fair enough.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

That sounds encouraging, and my research so far into the fine print supports this "view" of the matter. ;) :)

Thank you, Michael, for your generous & helpful posts on this topic.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

So glad that you eventually got sorted out with the ACA stuff -- my OH has got his squared away now, too.

I had dental insurance from my employer's health plan, just once, many decades ago. Since then, I just pay for all my dental care out of pocket. As to eye care -- as I mentioned, I see an MD who specializes in eyes for my annual eye test, and that is covered by my health insurance, so your more serious eye checkups would seem certain to be covered.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Good to hear!

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Argh!

"Do you currently have insurance?"

Yes

"Which of the following insurance plans do you have <list that does not contain the marketplace itself>"

Don't check anything; page will not submit.

*beats head against wall*

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Yes, that's how I felt. :( The site wouldn't accept the (foreign) address of my "current health insurance", so I couldn't proceed....

Call your state's Help Line, or the federal one if your state doesn't have its own program--the Help Line finally worked for me.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

I don't seem to be able to access the NY marketplace website at all from overseas. Anyone else had anything similar?

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Yes!

My workplace decided to lower the employee contribution to practically nothing but if I want to add my daughter it will be $550 a month for the workplace plan. So we went to the colorado website.

Went through the website, answered all the dumb questions. Now it won't let her electronically sign saying her name isn't the same as the person named on the policy.

Daughter called the helpline on Thursday and was on hold for one hour and ten minutes before she hung up.

So as I don't get any credits or goodies from doing it through the state exchange I'm just going to sign her up directly with the insurance company.

Bah!

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

The ACA deadline for getting coverage Jan 1st, 2015 is Monday so it is a very busy time signing up people that typically wait until the last minute. On Tuesday, I suspect you'll get through quickly until the last few days prior to Jan 15th which will be the last signup date to get coverage starting Feb 1 and then the big rush will occur a few days prior to Feb 15th which is the close of open enrollment for coverage starting March 1.:nod:

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

We were able to sign her up directly with the insurance company yesterday so she does have coverage from Jan 1.

The other completely stupid thing that happened as a result of signing up on the state exchange was she got a mailed letter yesterday informing her that she picked email as her preferred communication method. So why mail the letter?

Additionally had we signed up on the state exchange she would need a pediatric dental insurance policy. Even adults have to have one.

Obamacare quirk makes childless people buy pediatric dental insurance - MarketWatch

However, all in all she was not denied coverage due to pre existing conditions.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Whether someone goes through the exchange or through a private insurer, neither can deny coverage due to a pre-existing condition and both have the same ACA coverage requirements.

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

Fraud prevention?

Re: ACA application woes, anyone?
 

That's how insurance works. The pool of people signing up for insurance spreads the cost to make it affordable for all.