On Tuesday, October 1st, the sign-up portion of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was implemented. Those who wanted to register for Obamacare and purchase health insurance through a government run exchange were given until December 1st to do so. Sounds OK... right? That is - if you want to buy health care insurance through a government run exchange. If you're opposed to Obamacare and government run exchanges then it's a bad thing. But that's another topic.
Within the first week problems arose. Those who were able to get into the web site began discovering that their "affordable" care would cost them more than they could afford and/or their annual deductibles would be in the thousands of dollars. (I have read about deductibles being as high as $12,000 a year.) Most Americans couldn't even get into the web site to register.
The Obama administration, through White House spin master Jay Carney, began telling people it was because so vast was the amount of people trying to register that the web site was overloaded. Within days the real numbers came out that proved Carney's explanation not to be true and that the number of people signing up for Obamacare was far less than anyone expected. Only a few hundred thousand had signed up before the web site crashed.
Eventually the Obama administration realized they could no longer lie about numbers and overloading and admitted there were some "computer glitches" in the system. Those "glitches" were actually failures due to an outdated program and a very poor software product produced by a Canadian firm of which the CEO was an old Princeton classmate of Michelle Obama. And that firm was the only one considered for the contract. Go figure.
The President went on TV and said "No one is more angry than I am about this," which is probably the only true statement he has made about Obamacare. Of course he was angry. No one could sign up for his signature program. He advised people to use the telephone registration number to continue signing up. Of course, people began calling that number only to find out they could not get health insurance that way either and they were referred by operators back to the useless web site.
By week three the web site was still mostly inoperable and the entire registration process ground to a halt. It was discovered that the system had not been thoroughly tested by the administration and what tests were done by IT professionals had been reported as problematic. Sebelius basically said that they implemented the registration because of Republicans. What she meant by that is anyone's guess. Jay Carney said they implemented the system without testing it because "People with pre-existing conditions need health care," and "Single mothers with breast cancer need health care." Two great reasons for the administration to implement a program that doesn't work. Spot on, Jay!
Republicans in the House and Senate, as well as millions of citizens, began demanding that HHS Secretary Sebilius resign or be fired for not ensuring the system was operational and ready. The response from Sebelius was interesting.
During an interview Secretary Sebelius was asked about the calls for her resignation. Her arrogant response was: "The majority of those people calling for me to resign I would say are people I don't work for." Really? She is appointed by the President to the position she is in and, as such, she works for the American people. So the majority of those calling for her resignation are Americans. In fact - I'd bet they all are. And as much as she might want to deny it - she does work for everyone who's calling for her resignation - even the Senators and Representatives since they are American citizens as well.
During the democrat imposed government shut down the Republicans continuously attempted to get the administration to delay the individual mandate, particularly after it was discovered that the registration system software was defective and people could not effectively sign up. The December 1st deadline was initially maintained but eventually was extended. But the President and Harry Reid flat out refused to change the individual mandate or even to negotiate it. In fact, the President refused to negotiate anything to do with Obamacare, which was the main reason the shut down happened in the first place.
Now, with the Obamacare registration failing big time and an election coming up in a year, those same Democrats who refused to negotiate a delay of the individual mandate are now discussing.... a delay of the individual mandate. It makes sense to do it but then - it made sense when the Republicans suggested it as well. Maybe for once the Obama administration will do the right thing - even if it is only done so they won't lose as many votes.
Great Post
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