Obama Administration: Marketplace site to be fixed by ‘late November’

Following weeks of technical problems with the launch of the federally facilitated marketplace, the Obama administration announced today that it has named an outside firm to serve as “general contractor” to fix the problems on the website (Source: “‘General Contractor’ Named to Fix Health Web Site,” New York Times, Oct. 25, 2013)

“The HealthCare.gov site is fixable,” said Jeffrey D. Zients, who was selected earlier this week by President Obama to manage the repair efforts on the site. “It will take a lot of work. A lot of problems need to be addressed. But let me be clear. HealthCare.gov is fixable.

“By the end of November,” he added, “HealthCare.gov will work smoothly for the vast majority of users.”

That self-imposed deadline comes just two weeks before the Dec. 15 deadline for people to sign up for insurance that takes effect on Jan. 1. The open enrollment period continues until March 31. People who go without insurance after that date may be subject to tax penalties.

The federal insurance marketplace serves consumers in 36 states, including Ohio.