Covered California website glitches could last a while

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Problems with the Covered California website appear worse than initially disclosed, and may not be fixed until days before open enrollment begins Nov. 15.

Kathy Robertson

Senior Staff Writer- Sacramento Business Journal

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Problems with the Covered California website appear worse than initially disclosed — and may not be fixed until days before open enrollment begins Nov. 15.

The health benefits exchange staff aren't saying much, but a note to one of the affected brokers acknowledges that the system is not able to complete any enrollments or report any changes.

"We do not currently have an ETA as to when this enrollment error will be corrected," wrote Will Metcalf of Covered California in an email to a broker Igal Koiman on Tuesday.

Koiman told the Business Journal he's been unable to update plans for established clients for two weeks.

"Here we go again with the same nightmare as a year ago," Koiman said, referring to issues with the website during the first open enrollment. Koiman said he's "truly fed up with Covered California's technical incompetency."

Another email blast that went to some brokers Friday admits some consumers are getting error messages when trying to do transactions — but said fixes are in the works. When consumers get a "000" error on the e-signature page after picking a plan, they are urged to wait and try again later.

Another problem involves the "manage delegate" screen that lists the broker or enrollment counselor who helped with the enrollment. The screen doesn't show the name, but this is a display issue only, the email says. The last-saved information is still recorded in the system.

Covered California spokesman Larry Hicks said Tuesday the exchange is aware there are problems and staff is working "with great urgency" to fix them.

Kathy Robertson covers health care, law and lobbying, labor, workplace issues and immigration for the Sacramento Business Journal.