NAHU: Extension Past 12/15/15, if Can't Get Through

[yorkriver1]

If they get the "give us your phone number" message, will be able to call back after the 15th for a brief time, get enrolled.

"HealthCare.gov Seeing “Unprecedented Demand” Ahead Of Today’s Key Enrollment Deadline.
The New York Times reports that a surge of callers “temporarily overwhelmed the government’s capacity to enroll consumers” in ACA plans on Monday, prompting Federal officials “to record telephone numbers so they could return calls later to arrange for coverage.” HHS spokeswoman Lori Lodes said officials “are seeing unprecedented demand” ahead of today’s deadline to enroll in coverage effective Jan. 1. Andrew M. Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, likewise said HealthCare.gov was handling “record traffic” yesterday. The government said that people stuck waiting to enroll will be given a brief special sign-up period so they can complete their applications after Dec. 15 and still get coverage in January."

Reported in NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/15/u...ne-nears-unprecedented-demand.html?ref=health

 

[Yagents]

Is it due to high "demand" or high "volume" ? Big difference.

Probably "volume" due to their own confusion they created with millions of emails, texts and phone call stating they "need to apply" today.

 

[cadylou]

Is it due to high "demand" or high "volume" ? Big difference.

Probably "volume" due to their own confusion they created with millions of emails, texts and phone call stating they "need to apply" today.

Isn't that the truth - they created the volume by whipping everyone into an anxiety ridden frenzy with their constant harassment of people! Jeez, they're a bunch of idiots. . . .

 

[yorkriver1]

Yep, we are all taking those calls, after we have redone their 2016 app, "am I OK, do I have to call them, are you sure", etc.

 

[Sherota1]

I think no extension should be given. People will never learn that you need to get these things done ahead of time and not wait until the last minute. CMS may want to baby people but we are dealing with adults. My adults will be treated as such. They need to respect deadlines and respect our time and not procrastinate and expect miracles.

Today my recording says "If you are calling to enroll in an insurance plan please call 1-800-318-2596." I laughed when I recorded that. I will only be finalizing enrollments and answering questions for people who have given me their information to update their applications ahead of time. We only need to click select plan and we are done. Did a lot of those yesterday.

Not touching healthcare.gov today. In January my personal deadline to take applications is January 29th. January 30th and 31st CLOSED TO ALL NEW BUSINESS. No time to waste in the waiting room.

 

[cadylou]

I think no extension should be given. People will never learn that you need to get these things done ahead of time and not wait until the last minute. CMS may want to baby people but we are dealing with adults. My adults will be treated as such. They need to respect deadlines and respect our time and not procrastinate and expect miracles.

Today my recording says "If you are calling to enroll in an insurance plan please call 1-800-318-2596." I laughed when I recorded that. I will only be finalizing enrollments and answering questions for people who have given me their information to update their applications ahead of time. We only need to click select plan and we are done. Did a lot of those yesterday.

Not touching healthcare.gov today. In January my personal deadline to take applications is January 29th. January 30th and 31st CLOSED TO ALL NEW BUSINESS. No time to waste in the waiting room.

Good idea to change the voicemail. I'll do that now. . . .some woman called me at 7:30 this morning . . . only reason I answered the phone is I was already scrambling through termination activity early, before the inevitable system failure. I told her I wasn't taking any new clients. . . .

 

[dorado]

Agree with the extension, everyone has the right to have a functioning system...