In the Internet age a working website can reach millions across the country instantly.
Right? Wrong...By the numbers:Week 1:[gross#/interaction/% of total visitors]9.47 million: Unique visitors: 100%5.68 million: # who visited the individual marketplace: 60%3.72 million: # who attempted to register:40%1.01 million: # who completed registration:10.7%271,000: # who successfully logged in:2.8%196,000:# who began enrollment:2.1%36,000: # who completed enrollment:.38%
Only .38% of the site's visitors were able to successfully enroll.No real e-marketplaces would roll out a product this glitchy:
EbayAmazonCraigslistYahoo! ShoppingOverstock.com
All regularly have MORE visitors than healthcare.gov's first month.
The nation blamed the GOP for the shutdownOverall, do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of...?"Obama: F=42% Un=51%Democratic Party: F=46% Un=49%Republican Party: F=32% Un=63%Tea Party Movement: F=26% Un=59% All the democrats needed was a semi-functional ACA website.
Too bad the site:
1.) Had extremely low login success rates.2.) Long delays and time outs3.) Confusing Error Messages4.) Non-functional calculators5.) Scrambled insurance information6.) Spouses reported as children7.) Plan pricing misreported
Leading to the larger questions:Will enrollment glitches become provider glitches?Will people who enrolled with the glitchy show up at hospitals with no insurance?Will the information of those who enrolled be at risk?
DANGER: Centralized dataSSNAddressAgesNamesHealth conditionsFamily History
Leads to centralized power over everyday Americans
Both Good: if we can make an efficient healthcare systemAnd Bad: Governmental Abuse, and all the data an identity thief could want
But this problem runs deeper than just a website...Because the numbers just don't add up.
Universal healthcare is important, but crony capitalism doesn't solve anything.Citations: