WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Tuesday that it would provide
more time for people to complete their applications for health
insurance if they could show that they missed the deadline because of
problems with the federal health care website.
The move was the latest in a series of deadline changes, exemptions and
clarifications that have confused insurers and many Americans and opened
the administration to increasing criticism from Republicans who have
opposed the Affordable Care Act from the start and have repeatedly tried
to overturn it.
It was not clear on Tuesday how many people would be affected, or how
consumers would prove that website errors had prevented them from
signing up by the deadline on Tuesday night.
The announcement itself was vague, saying only that if website problems
had prevented any consumers from enrolling, they might qualify for what
the government has called “a special enrollment period.” The
administration did not say how long that would last. Nor did it define
what website errors might be involved.
Republicans said the announcement — coming a day after the federal
website recorded more than two million visits — showed that President
Obama was desperate to increase enrollment, widely seen as a measure of
the success of the health care law.
For their part, administration officials said the move was a
common-sense response to heavy traffic on the website, which they cited
as evidence of a huge need for more affordable insurance. Some 48
million Americans are uninsured. Many could qualify for subsidized
coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Tara McGuinness, a White House spokeswoman, said the administration was
not providing “a blanket extension,” but was offering to provide
“assistance to individuals on a case-by-case basis.”
And Kurt DelBene, the new troubleshooter for the site, said it was
performing well. “With the highest volumes we have seen to date,
response time is fast, and the error rate is low,” he said.
The move did not mollify insurers who have grown concerned as new
problems have erupted since the rollout on Oct. 1 and are worried about
how they will be able to provide coverage for everyone who wants it by
Jan. 1, when that coverage is supposed to go into effect.
“The goal posts keep moving,” William G. Schiffbauer, a lawyer who
represents insurance companies, said Tuesday evening. “That raises
questions about whether insurers can collect premiums in a timely manner
to pay claims from doctors and hospitals.”
“The latest step creates confusion for consumers and insurers,” he added.
Insurers said that Tuesday’s action, combined with several recent
unexpected shifts in federal rules and policy, made it harder for them
to predict the number and characteristics of new subscribers. That, in
turn, makes it harder for them to predict their costs and complicates
efforts to set prices for their products.
In general, insurance companies say they need substantial numbers of
healthy people to balance the financial risks of covering older
Americans who require more medical care.
The open enrollment period continues to March 31. People who select
health plans on the federal exchange starting Wednesday and continuing
through Jan. 15 will generally be entitled to coverage that takes effect
on Feb. 1, provided they pay their share of the first month’s premium
before then.
The new offer to consumers who have had trouble with the website
followed the last-minute surge of interest among people seeking
coverage, and the administration hailed what it described as “amazing
interest” in new health insurance options.
The original deadline for coverage starting Jan. 1 was Dec. 15. On Nov.
22, the deadline was extended to Dec. 23. On Monday, the White House
provided a 24-hour grace period, to 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday.
Then on Tuesday, in a bid to ensure coverage for all who want it, the
administration provided details of the “special enrollment period” for
some people — but not all — who miss the deadline.
“If you weren’t able to enroll in an insurance plan by Dec. 23 because
of problems you had using HealthCare.gov, you still may be able to get
coverage that starts Jan. 1,” the administration told visitors to the
website in a message
posted on the health insurance blog at HealthCare.gov. The message also
highlighted the assistance available to shoppers.
“Couldn’t enroll by December 23?” it said. “We can still help you get covered.”
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