Problems Plaguing Website for Covered Calif. Enrollment Counselors
Enrollment counselors for Covered California are encountering a variety of problems on a website that they use to help consumers sign up for health coverage, the Los Angeles Times reports (Brown, Los Angeles Times, 11/16).
Background
Nearly 60,000 state residents signed up for coverage through the exchange during the first six weeks of open enrollment, according to an announcement Covered California made last week.
In addition, the rate of enrollment appears to be increasing, as the number of people signing up for exchange plans increased from an average of 1,000 daily in October to an average of 2,400 daily in the first 12 days of November (California Healthline, 11/14).
State officials estimate that 80% of consumers will want help from navigators when signing up for coverage through the exchange. About 16,000 navigators are needed statewide to assist those consumers, according to exchange officials (California Healthline, 10/31).
Details of Website Issues
Enrollment counselors have reported several glitches with the site designed to help them enroll individuals in health plans offered through the exchange, including:
- Freezing;
- Mislabeled links for Spanish-language applications;
- Inaccurate cost estimates and coverage levels;
- A disabled online chat function; and
- Other issues.
Some counselors have given up trying to use the site and instead have begun printing off English-language versions of enrollment applications and helping Spanish-speaking individuals fill them out, according to the Times (Los Angeles Times, 11/16).
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