A probÂlem with the MNsure sysÂtem has preÂventÂed about 7,500 peoÂple from enÂrolÂling in public health inÂsurÂance programs, state ofÂfiÂcials said MonÂday, as they deÂscribed what apÂpears to be the largÂest techÂnolÂoÂgy glitch of the curÂrent open enÂrollÂment peÂriod.
The state Department of HuÂman Services has dediÂcatÂed 30 employees to help peoÂple afÂfectÂed by the snag and exÂpects to reÂsolve the sitÂuÂaÂtion in about 10 days.
PeoÂple who should have had covÂerÂage startÂing Jan. 1 will eithÂer have retÂroÂacÂtive beneÂfits, or the state will covÂer the cost of medÂiÂcal bills as needÂed, Chuck Johnson, a depÂuÂty comÂmisÂsionÂer at DHS, said in a MonÂday interÂview.
The Star Tribune learnÂed of the probÂlem in late DeÂcemÂber from two users of the MNsure website who said they weren't able to enroll in the MinnesotaCare public health inÂsurÂance program. The isÂsue also apÂplies to some who likely qualÂiÂfy for covÂerÂage from MedÂicÂaid, the health inÂsurÂance program for the state's lowÂest-inÂcome resiÂdents.
The root of the probÂlem, Johnson said, is that peoÂple are tryÂing to enroll in covÂerÂage for 2015 through a new acÂcount, rathÂer than the acÂcount they creÂatÂed to obÂtain covÂerÂage for 2014.
"By deÂsign, the sysÂtem says: 'Whoa, whoa, whoa — we can't enroll this perÂson unÂtil we reÂsolve what's going on with this othÂer acÂcount that has the same soÂcial seÂcuriÂty numÂber on it,' " Johnson said. "So, it's holdÂing those cases up, and they need inÂterÂvenÂtion to get reÂsolved."
The glitch apÂparÂentÂly catchÂes only those who didn't qualÂiÂfy last year for one of the public health inÂsurÂance programs, he said, but are now elÂiÂgiÂble for such covÂerÂage in 2015.
Minnesota launched the MNsure health exÂchange in 2013 to imÂpleÂment the fedÂerÂal AfÂfordÂaÂble Care Act, which reÂquires alÂmost all AmeriÂcans to have health inÂsurÂance or pay a tax penÂalÂty. The rollÂout was rockÂy, inÂcludÂing one probÂlem that promptÂed the state to reÂprocÂess some 30,000 apÂpliÂcaÂtions to make sure MNsure was propÂerÂly conÂnectÂing peoÂple with subÂsiÂdies. DurÂing much of DeÂcemÂber 2013, probÂlems promptÂed thouÂsands of peoÂple to wait hours on hold for help from an overÂwhelmed MNsure call cenÂter.
The curÂrent open enÂrollÂment peÂriod startÂed Nov. 15, and call cenÂter waits have been much shortÂer. MNsure users reÂport the website has been workÂing betÂter, alÂthough ofÂfiÂcials acÂknowlÂedge it's far from perÂfect. In DeÂcemÂber, MNsure ofÂfiÂcials deÂtailed five glitchÂes, sayÂing each probÂlem afÂfectÂed anyÂwhere from a few dozÂen to a few hunÂdred peoÂple.
As of Jan. 6, about 42,000 people had used MNsure to enroll in public health insurance programs during the current open enrollment period. Another 33,000 people had used the exchange to buy private health insurance.
Johnson said MonÂday that DHS had been trackÂing cases afÂfectÂed by the latÂest glitch for a few months, but the numÂber of peoÂple afÂfectÂed spiked in DeÂcemÂber. By Jan. 6, about 160 peoÂple who conÂtacted DHS about the probÂlem had their cases reÂsolved, he said.
For the 7,500 peoÂple still afÂfectÂed by the probÂlem, DHS says it will send them noÂtiÂces about their covÂerÂage as cases are reÂsolved.
The ulÂtiÂmate fix to the probÂlem, Johnson said, would stop peoÂple using the MNsure website from creÂatÂing a duÂpliÂcate acÂcounts, rathÂer than flagÂging duÂpliÂcates as peoÂple try to enroll. There's no timeline for when such a fix will be imÂpleÂmentÂed, he said, alÂthough state ofÂfiÂcials are workÂing on it.
"It's preÂventÂing them at the point of enÂrollÂment," Johnson said. "It would probÂaÂbly work betÂter if they were beÂing caught at the point that they were creÂatÂing the acÂcount."
Another way to prevent the problem, Johnson said, would be for website users to work within their original accounts. The state asks that people "keep track of your passwords and user names, so you're able to sign in and work through a single account in managing your health care," he said.
ChrisÂtoÂpher Snowbeck • 612-673-4744
Twitter: @chrissnowbeck