White House: ACA data hub ready for Oct. 1 enrollment

Obama administration officials said Tuesday that they have finished a major piece of the technology that will help millions of Americans sign up for insurance this fall (Source: “Health-care ‘data hub’ is ready, White House officials say,” Washington Post, Sept. 10, 2013).

Federal health officials said they have completed the “data hub,” a complex system that will verify people’s Social Security numbers, immigration status and other information when they log on to government websites to buy health plans and apply for government subsidies.

The milestone is a significant victory for the administration, which is battling growing skepticism that it will be ready Oct. 1, when people are supposed to be able to start signing up for health plans under the ACA.

 “After over two years of work, [the hub] is built and ready for operation, and we have completed security testing and certification to operate,” said Todd Park, chief technology officer of the United States. “This is an important step in being ready for open enrollment on Oct. 1.”