Obamacare: An experience an Oklahoman had

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I've an acquaintance from high school who detailed on Facebook the ordeal he went through when trying to view health insurance policies on the Obamacare website. I thought I'd share it with you, because I think it's representative of many, many things:

Here is a detailed account from my own experience with the website:

Because of the enrollment time table that the University [of Oklahoma] has given all their employees, and the time that the [HealthCare.gov] website was actually available to use, I had a 10 day window to work with in regards to enrolling in a healthcare plan.
My wife and I's premiums have gone up about 23% this year and we thought that me finding my own insurance through the ACA might be cheaper and easier to deal with. So when we find out when open enrollment for my wife's insurance dates were I went to the healthcare.gov website.

The first time it was shutdown for some reason (I never found out why). The next day I visit the site I found out the actual application process is very easy, filling out all of the information needed to give you quotes and what have you; name, address, income, SSN...the general basics with any application. I also thought their oversight of making sure you don't skip certain things to be very helpful and making you double check some things to be a thorough part of the website.

After about 20-30 minutes I reach the part where you verify your identity. But every attempt to do so was met with failure. The website said I could verify it by submitting two forms of ID. So, I scan my SS card and my diploma, at their request, only to have them still not be able to verify who I say I am. So I scrap the whole application and start over. I'm met with the same outcome. I repeat the process for 3 days...

After all this I open a chat window with the website, and the person "helping" me says they are not allowed to review, see, or receive any of my personal information and they refer me to the 800 number. I then call the 800 number. When you call the 800 number one of the very first things they tell you is that they are not allowed to accept personal information from you...(seeing a pattern)...and when I explain my situation to them they tell me to call the 866 number. When you call the 866 number one of the very first things they tell you is that they are not allowed to accept personal information from you...(that pesky pattern again)

I then proceed to call the 866 number and after being on hold for about 25 minutes I explain the same situation to them that I had explained to the 800 number, and the 866 number tells me to call the 800 number back and request a third party conversation with the 866 number and that's the only way either of them can help me.

So I call the 800 number again, wait for 45 minutes, make my request, and then I'm put only hold for another 15-20 minutes. They proceed to tell me that I will have to physically send in my information to an office in London, Kentucky that is not operated by the government, but rather outsourced to a private company, wait 10 days to be given a case worker (that's after they receive the information mind you), wait for the case worker to assess the situation and contact me about further information they might need from me, and then wait another length of time to process all the correct information once it's gathered.

By this time my enrollment period will have long passed for my current insurance and I might be stuck with a policy that is worse than the original that I had and it will not benefit me in the least. So now I'm stuck with a policy that's going to cost me more money for the same treatment.

When I asked why all of this was needed I was plainly told that because I have not lived at my current residence for a period of two years (we bought our house this year and it is brand new and was built in December 2012 and we moved during the month of March 2013) and I do not have a 5 year established credit history because I was told growing up that Credit Cards and Debt are bad things and will ruin your life, but because of our house and other necessary things in life I was forced to finally sign the dotted line after 28 years without a Credit Card and no Student Loan debt (we paid cash for college). I thanked them for their frankness and candid response and that it answered many of my questions.

And that was that...I enrolled in my insurance today through my wife's work at the University wondering how on Earth we're going to pay for my premiums this next year...

My story is not unique, but rather, sadly, stereotypical and the norm for many of my friends and fellow Americans. I feel Richard made many great points about those who are unable to even go through the hassles that I had to go through to find out that I wouldn't be able to shop for insurance in a timely, well organized manor. Further, I feel the people who most needed this website and process, the poor and elderly, were not taken into consideration during this whole thing.

And that about covers it...