Federal Exchange Opens for Second Time
After two years, the government figured out how to build a website. Maybe. The enrollment period on Healthcare.gov opened for the second time on Saturday and 100,000 people signed up for health insurance. Yet in Washington, the state exchange broke after two hours because it computed tax credits incorrectly. Unlike last year, the website has hit only minor speed bumps so far, with some people forgetting their passwords, according to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell. Initially, the Congressional Budget Office estimated 13 million people would sign up this year, but HHS projects less than 10 million. It’s because they “actually thought more people would switch from employer-based care than did,” Burwell said. Burwell assumed people would flock to a government solution. Meanwhile, The New York Times reports, “The Obama administration on Friday unveiled data showing that many Americans with health insurance bought under the Affordable Care Act could face substantial price increases next year – in some cases as much as 20 percent – unless they switch plans.” If you like your plan, you can keep it. More…