ACA Signup Pain on healthcare.gov

[sengsational]

I read in one of the other threads that a consultant thought that the healthcare.gov site was better than it's been before. That's not my experience. Sorry about the rant, but it still sucks about as bad as usual.

If you follow their one, perfect, unadulterated use-case, maybe it works. But do something just the tiniest bit different, it fails.

My case: I gives me a partially filled out application that looks like last year's. Ok. But my daughter gained her independence and will no longer be a dependent in 2018. I can't get rid of her on my application! It's impossible. I get to screen where it wants me to select a dependent. The list includes here and "someone else", but if I don't check a box, it won't let me continue.

So don't accept / throw out their partially filled out application. That too is impossible!

So do what we did in the early years, create a new logon. I turns out I can't do that either, because the "verify identity" with the credit bureau fails. It says call Equifax (or whoever) with the "code below". There is no code! Did anybody bother to test this software?!?

Then, I call and it says I need to wait 20 minutes to talk to someone (who I doubt will be able to do anything helpful).

I'll spend the entire 45 days just getting an application in.

 

[zinger1457]

The only change I had to make was to update my income for next year so it went smooth. As I recall when you first select to update your application there is a selection in the menu to "Report a life change". Did you select that option? I believe this is where you would report changes in household members.

 

[street]

I have been told there is lack of man power for ACA gov now. I have heard it is more of a mess now then in the past. My HIC helps me through the whole processes they have been so helpful I'm very grateful to them.

 

[Senator]

As someone who had worked on a financial institution website design, the healthcare.gov site is very bad. And not even a smart website. It basically just serves up pdf files.

The site cannot even make payments. Luckily, it only costs bout $1B+ to develop.

 

[Bir48die]

Lost my Cobra at the end of October. Started doing research and went on the ACA site far enough to know that I cannot get any subsidies.

Did research and signed up on a Kaiser plan independently. Now I get daily emails from Healthcare.gov to keep reminding me I need to get insurance. Will try and figure out how to communicate that I have fulfilled their requirement.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

You could try an agent in town and try to get it straightened out and bypass the computer and let him/her deal with it. This is just a suggestion, it might work it might not.

 

[MRG]

You could try an agent in town and try to get it straightened out and bypass the computer and let him/her deal with it. This is just a suggestion, it might work it might not.

That's what I did last year and will do this. Very easy. Cost was right too.

 

[sengsational]

You could try an agent in town and try to get it straightened out and bypass the computer and let him/her deal with it. This is just a suggestion, it might work it might not.

I might go that route, but from a time invested standpoint, it would probably be more. Driving and then sitting there while they either fiddle with the computer or call (and be on hold).

The only change I had to make was to update my income for next year so it went smooth. As I recall when you first select to update your application there is a selection in the menu to "Report a life change". Did you select that option? I believe this is where you would report changes in household members.

I was looking for that throughout, but I didn't see it. I don't think it was ever offered to me. I just went back to the application, starting at the beginning, and it certainly didn't offer it to me.

I don't want to touch the application I did last year at this time because for all of 2017, my daughter is a dependent. Only on January 1, 2018 is she independent. But I dipped my toe in, by opening the 2017 application and clicking the "life change" button. It put me into creating a new application, probably for the remainder of 2017. Of course I bailed on that, but now that one shows as status "in progress"

 

[rbmrtn]

Try a different browser or clear the cookies/cache. In the past cleaning up the caches and cookies has fixed some issues with the site.

 

[Rianne]

Does the insurance company you want have a broker who will sign you up at no cost? Google your insurance co. brokers. They get paid by the insurance co and will offer you an HSA plan which you can agree to or not. We're in our 3rd year with ACA. Do not be afraid of the sign up or the life change part of it. Your life change is your daughter is no longer a dependent. A broker can/will sign you up completely and answer all your questions in person. The on the phone ACA helpers are no help. Our first year we had to figure it out by hit and miss. And proving our income was a nightmare, but so worth it in the long run.

 

[bpgdeg1234]

sengsational,

I have had issues filling out the partially filled out application the marketplace provides every year so I just call them and and when I get through they do the application from scratch for me over the phone and works fine. The reps I have dealt with are actually better now than when I first signed up.

As for the second situation where you dipped your toe in with reporting a life change, that also happened to me last year when I was considering making an adjustment with a new application being generated that remained in process since I exited it. I called the Marketplace and they indicated that since it was not completed it would just stay in limbo and whatever you have already in place (e.g. subsidy, plan, dependents, etc.) will remain through the end of year which sounds like what you want since your daughter will be a tax dependent all of this year.

 

[Tom52]

We just got DW signed up for 2018 thru local agent. We had to make a new application for her since I will be on Medicare next year. We also had to change income estimate since I can't contribute to HSA next year. In and out of agent's office in less than 20 minutes. Why mess with healthcare.gov.

 

[FIREd]

Just signed up for 2018 through the website (as I did for 2017). It seemed easy enough.

 

[Bamaman]

My wife and I have moved to Medicare. But I have continued paying my daughter's BCBS Individual Blue policy--non ACA. For a 30 year old and $300 deductible, she has 75% coverage plus dental. My cost is going up from $298 to $353 per month.

BCBS sure told us that this is a grandfathered policy and will not be offered again if ever cancelled.

I sure wish she would get a job.

 

[bobandsherry]

OP, try this.... login to Healthcare.gov and go to "My Applications and Coverage", select your existing 2018 application and then from next screen select "Report a life change". Follow the prompts from there, you should be able to remove your daughter.

 

[street]

In an earlier post I said BCBS agent helped us do all the application processes and has been a huge help. This will be our second year with ACA and have been notified by HC.Gov. about paper work that needs to be sent to them. My wife and I go things together and a wrote a short letter explaining a small amount of capitol gains. Next wek we take all this information/date to the agent and she sends it all in from her office. That is how she wants to do it. It really has been a big help.

 

[brewer12345]

I deal with the Colorado exchange and every single year is a cluster[reproductive act] par excellence. Weeks of nonsense, and I even have an agent that is on the board of the exchange. I hate dealing with these people.

 

[street]

I deal with the Colorado exchange and every single year is a cluster[reproductive act] par excellence. Weeks of nonsense, and I even have an agent that is on the board of the exchange. I hate dealing with these people.

Ya a cluster it is and really complete waste of time but that is what they want. Anytime you deal with Gov. programs it is a joke.

 

[sengsational]

OP, try this.... login to Healthcare.gov and go to "My Applications and Coverage", select your existing 2018 application and then from next screen select "Report a life change". Follow the prompts from there, you should be able to remove your daughter.

It would be great if that option existed, but it simply does not show up. I know this is a "life change". I knew it before I logged on the first time, so was on the lookout for it. It's simply a screw up in their implementation of this pre-filled out application.

I have no doubt that walking through the application on the phone would have worked, but when I called, I thought having them delete the pre-filled application would allow me to start completely from scratch. But all that did was give me a new pre-filled application that has no option to do the life change.

Earlier I mentioned a completely separate logon that I created. The problem was that the identity was unvalidated due to yet another bug in their implementation. BUT I did upload a copy of my passport, and the identity is now validated! So I was able to add just me and DW. And in about 3 minutes, I was done ordering insurance.

The story wasn't quite over yet, though. The do-nothing scenario with the original sign-on is to automatically renew the old policy, which of course I don't want. So I needed to find where the opt-out for that was. It turns out to be buried in the 2017 application. I took copious screen shots because I am almost sure they will renew that policy anyway, despite my instructions not to. And I'll probably be bombarded with email for years about how I really need to sign-up for health insurance from that abandoned sign-on.

 

[bobandsherry]

It would be great if that option existed, but it simply does not show up. I know this is a "life change". I knew it before I logged on the first time, so was on the lookout for it. It's simply a screw up in their implementation of this pre-filled out application.

I have no doubt that walking through the application on the phone would have worked, but when I called, I thought having them delete the pre-filled application would allow me to start completely from scratch. But all that did was give me a new pre-filled application that has no option to do the life change.

Earlier I mentioned a completely separate logon that I created. The problem was that the identity was unvalidated due to yet another bug in their implementation. BUT I did upload a copy of my passport, and the identity is now validated! So I was able to add just me and DW. And in about 3 minutes, I was done ordering insurance.

The story wasn't quite over yet, though. The do-nothing scenario with the original sign-on is to automatically renew the old policy, which of course I don't want. So I needed to find where the opt-out for that was. It turns out to be buried in the 2017 application. I took copious screen shots because I am almost sure they will renew that policy anyway, despite my instructions not to. And I'll probably be bombarded with email for years about how I really need to sign-up for health insurance from that abandoned sign-on.

Not sure why you don't have the option. I had to make a life change and worked just as I described. Sorry not working for you.

 

[street]

One of the instructions that they ask for is a written but short explanation if a change or to explain your case. Do you know if they want this in hand writing or can it be typed?

Thanks

 

[bobandsherry]

One of the instructions that they ask for is a written but short explanation if a change or to explain your case. Do you know if they want this in hand writing or can it be typed?

Thanks

Anyway you wish to do, just as long as it's signed

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

One of the instructions that they ask for is a written but short explanation if a change or to explain your case. Do you know if they want this in hand writing or can it be typed?

Thanks

I wrote a letter giving a very detailed explanation of my expected income. I put above my signature, I certify the above is true under penalty of perjury. I signed it. 8 days later they said they verified everything I said.

 

[bobandsherry]

I wrote a letter giving a very detailed explanation of my expected income. I put above my signature, I certify the above is true under penalty of perjury. I signed it. 8 days later they said they verified everything I said.

I didn't get that formal. In my letter for last year, typed in Word, I simply stated the details. I noted that my expected income is from the following sources; dividends on investments, distribution from 401K and and resulting capital gains derived from investments. My estimated income is $x for 2017. I also noted this was significantly different from prior year income due to retirement. I then simply signed it, no certification or other affirmation. Letter was processed and accepted within a week of mailing. Just be sure to include the date in your letter.

 

[Spock]

My signup went smooth almost 2 weeks ago. The only malfunction is I get emails and phone calls saying I still have to submit my application... making me wonder if I forgot to click something.
So I called the 1-800 number to check the status of my 2018 enrollment... maybe a 2 minute wait... rep said I was done and done for 2018. (though I got another enrollment reminder just this morning... oh well.. it is the US Gov after all.)