Posted on 02/07/2014 8:53:12 AM PST by Sub-Driver
've Been Trying Since November—But I Still Can't Sign Up for Obamacare Ike Brannon February 7, 2014 9:01 AM
Despite my earnest intentions, my family and I are still not covered on the Washington, D.C. Obamacare exchange. I am beginning to despair that I will ever obtain insurance from the exchange.
To briefly recap my ordeal (you can read my previous piece here) I went to the D.C. Health Link web page in early November to sign up my family. It was not as straightforward as I anticipated: The first few times I tried to enter the names and vitals for my wife and children the web site either locked up or otherwise failed to store that information anywhere. Typing 4 names, birthdays, and social security numbers became a daily exercise for me. At least I have my family's social security numbers memorized now.
Finally, after Thanksgiving, my name, ID, and family information were on file and I could proceed. I had to answer further questions about my family and then submit several pieces of evidence to show that I was, in fact, a D.C. resident, that my children did exist, and that my wife (a foreign national) was a legal resident.
I submitted that information, although the first 3 or 4 times the web page crashed and wouldn't let me upload anything. Finally, however, I got my documents into the system and I was told they'd be verified soon and after that I'd be allowed to buy insurance.
Three weeks go by and I hear nothing, and when I log in to the exchange website it merely informs me that my information will soon be verified. I began calling the Health Link, who merely told me that they're a little behind on the verifying but that they'd do it before January 1.
I knew better and called a broker who's tasked with being a facilitator for people like me. She informed me that no one will verify my information unless we call. She starts calling and emailing on my behalf and she discovers they still do not have my family's information on file.
She goes around and around and finally, on New Year's Eve, they tell her that while I don't have insurance yet and they haven't been able to verify my information, I will be granted insurance for January, once they process my paperwork.
My facilitator and I again call regularly, to no avail, until I received a message on my answering machine on January 14 from D.C. Health Link: they have processed my information and I just need to call Carefirst by 6 p.m. the next day and I'll be set.
So I call, and hold for an hour 45 minutes, and talk to a Carefirst agent, who informs me that D.C. Health Link had not, in fact, sent over the appropriate information, and that I was out of luck for January.
Which was fine: it was a month, no one in the family broke a leg, the full price on our prescriptions weren't that outrageous (a scant $350), so we soldiered on.
The next two weeks consisted of regular calls to D.C. Health Link—who told me without exception they will send my case to their supervisor to follow up—and Carefirst, who continued to tell me D.C. Health Link has not, in fact, followed up and sent them what they need for me to get insurance.
On January 31, my broker/facilitator gives me the name of the supervisor she has talked to. I email her, and she says they sent over the information--on January 14. Carefirst has such a long wait time over the phone I am kicked off the circuit and told to call back Monday.
If this is resolved by February 15 they tell me I will be covered for the month: that seems to me to be a sucker's bet.
While I thought this was bad policy, I figured it would be good for my family, since I am now self-employed and we have some pre-existing conditions that made our insurance costly. It may still work out that way, if I ever managed to purchase insurance.
You can take my place. I have no intention of letting the federal government unjustly and unconstitutionally force me into this or anything else.
Here is a motivated, educated person - and he STILL can’t get insurance. Why would any healthy person be bothered with this? What person working full time would be able to even try?
Number 1: Ike was a fool to believe anything anyone from government told him.
Number 2: There is no law that says he has to sign up for healthcare through any exchange; only that whatever insurance he does get has to meet the minimum criteria for the law. He could have alternatively contacted multiple health insurers and enquired about a policy.
My conclusion? Ike was looking for subsidized coverage which he wouldn’t get doing it out-of-system.
Why would anyone want to expose their financial information to a corrupted website, that alone should discourage anyone from trying to get insurance via Obamacare. Find a reasonable policy directly from an approved insurance company....unless you are a masochist.
If you're having problems on these exchanges, rather than wait on endless phone trees and hope for replies from faceless, nameless operators, call your Congressman and Senators--especially if they're Democrats--and demand assistance!
I don't know if it'll help with insurance, but this is an Election Year. They need to hear the stead drumbeats of irate voters, and they need to fear that their current seats may be in jeopardy.
Not to worry, everytime he logs in he can be counted as a new enrollee.
I was at a Target pharmacy the other week. The woman in front of my broke in to tears when her once covered prescription was now $90 a bottle. I think she had 4 or 5 pills. She couldn’t afford it and the poor pharmacist had to explain that her new improved Obamacare compliant insurance had changed. BUT HEY. If she was getting birth control pills they would be free.
Two thoughts.
One: If he voted against obama, I feel for him. Otherwise, nothing.
Two: He’s probably not missing much anyway by not getting signed up: buying obamacare is not the same thing as obtaining actual medical care.
Why?
Why?
Why......
Preexisting conditions with a requirement for treatment
Fear is the motivator that drives all that have signed up
This “D.C. Health Link”, like some of the state exchanges and of course, the federal exchange, seem to be really screwed up still on the front and/or backends.
But a few of the state exchanges like Washington, Kentucky, and New York (sigh) are working pretty well.
People can sign up on the first try right through to payment if they have the required information.
I’m not saying it is wise for everyone to do so but the option is there.
For someone who wasn’t going to get a subsidy anyway you might as well go directly to the insurance company.
The law requires any insurance company to cover pre existing conditions, so how could they discriminate?
Unless it has to be bought through Obama care, which would be discrimination....
I have no idea, as I have insurance...for now. I would pay directly to an insurance company, before laying open my accounts and info to the criminals.
For reasons I can’t figure out I found the article amusing.
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I read the advice Lou but somehow missed the question. What was it again?
Sorry, I was probably less than clear. My question is, "why haven't these people contacted their elected representatives and complained?
I suppose my advice would be to call them!
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