The website for the United States universal health-care program, which is meant to help uninsured Americans search for medical coverage at decent rates, has lagged and crashed as millions of people try to search through and sign up for plans. The crisis, if it continues, could deliver a reputational hit to CGI, as well as illustrates the complicated nature of the large, complicated government contracts that make up a sizable share of the company's business.
So how does the process work and what's wrong with the process? Examine the image below and scroll down to learn more about the process and problems associated with Obamacare. Read the full story.
1. Applicant logs on to healthcare.gov and creates an account. Problem: People have been getting error messages they can’t interpret, possibly due to website programming issues.
2. Information is forwarded to the federal data hub, a sort of traffic cop for managing information. Problem: Users are unable to register, possibly from server overload or poor coding.
3. The hub forwards applicant data to several agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration, for verification and subsidy eligibility check. Problem: It is unclear whether a crash in any of the agency systems stops the application process.
4. Verified information is returned to data hub.
5. Approval notification returned to marketplace. Problem: Improperly formatted applications have to be re-entered manually by health insurance providers.
6. Applicant notified of approval.
7. Depending on income and subsidies, applicant enrolls in private plan or Medicaid.
SOURCES: ASSOCIATED PRESS; AP reports; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services