4 ms·

Now we see the real test of whether healthcare.gov has reached the level of consumer tech: Does bug-report-via-top-ranked-HN-comment get anything done?

by jlebar 10y ago

BinaryIdiot 10y ago
After doing 6 years of government contracting and also interviewing with Nava I get the impression they're a higher grade of government contractor than what you typically work with. The initial failure of Healthcare.gov was no surprise to me (in fact I was surprised they even had a homepage working based on my government contracting experiences) and having Nava come in and fix things in what was likely a pretty horrific codebase is nothing short of impressive. Having said that there is still a ton of red tape and issues surrounding not just government contracting in general but also around the fact that different states and insurance providers have different systems that all work differently but somehow need to work together under this single application. So I wouldn't expect much even though the Nava folks, in my short time dealing with them and comparing them to other contractors, seem fairly solid.
llimllib 10y ago
AFAICT it's actually a Cigna bug report yeah? Happy to make sure it gets to the right place if I'm wrong. (/me doesn't work for nava, does work on healthcare.gov)
- sixbit 10y ago
  There is a persistent error message on my 2016 profile on healthcare.gov after that button was clicked (despite it also showing it's active on that side of things). My understanding is that the bug is the integration point between the two. From past issues and what I've been told on this one, is that the only way things get fixed and made right is to have healthcare.gov retransmit the correct data/status. Cigna can't fix it on their own from their side. Thanks for the offer to help, didn't expect any action, just a post out of frustration. I'll shoot you and email.
  - roninb 10y ago
    I'm almost positive you mean "I'll shoot you an email." but the idea of someone being so frustrated with healthcare.gov they want to shoot the messenger (yet still get the problem resolved) is in-line with what I've heard. (and gave me a hearty chuckle)
    - sixbit 10y ago
      Haha, just a typo and not a subconscious slip, I swear! :-)
  - shashashasha 10y ago
    Got it, it sounds like there is some issue on the healthcare.gov side. I work at Nava so feel free to email me as well. I totally understand your frustration, and though it sounds like we don't work on the components of healthcare.gov that are leaving you in the lurch just reach out and we can try and route your issue to the right people.
    - sixbit 10y ago
      Thanks so much, most appreciated. I'll take the first offer of help first and if that doesn't work I'll follow up with you.
GFischer 10y ago
Both Nava and healthcare.gov people replied, in under an hour. Looks like a win for the OP (or as much of a win it can get in this fucked-up situation).
- sixbit 10y ago
  Fingers crossed!
  - sixbit 10y ago
    Just wanted to add that both were a big help and that my insurance is active again. Thanks to everyone who tried to help. I'll have to pay it forward somehow.

Now we see the real test of whether healthcare.gov has reached the level of consumer tech: Does bug-report-via-top-ranked-HN-comment get anything done?

by jlebar 10y ago

Now we see the real test of whether healthcare.gov has reached the level of consumer tech: Does bug-report-via-top-ranked-HN-comment get anything done?

BinaryIdiot 10y ago

After doing 6 years of government contracting and also interviewing with Nava I get the impression they're a higher grade of government contractor than what you typically work with. The initial failure of Healthcare.gov was no surprise to me (in fact I was surprised they even had a homepage working based on my government contracting experiences) and having Nava come in and fix things in what was likely a pretty horrific codebase is nothing short of impressive. Having said that there is still a ton of red tape and issues surrounding not just government contracting in general but also around the fact that different states and insurance providers have different systems that all work differently but somehow need to work together under this single application. So I wouldn't expect much even though the Nava folks, in my short time dealing with them and comparing them to other contractors, seem fairly solid.

llimllib 10y ago

AFAICT it's actually a Cigna bug report yeah? Happy to make sure it gets to the right place if I'm wrong. (/me doesn't work for nava, does work on healthcare.gov)

sixbit 10y ago
There is a persistent error message on my 2016 profile on healthcare.gov after that button was clicked (despite it also showing it's active on that side of things). My understanding is that the bug is the integration point between the two. From past issues and what I've been told on this one, is that the only way things get fixed and made right is to have healthcare.gov retransmit the correct data/status. Cigna can't fix it on their own from their side. Thanks for the offer to help, didn't expect any action, just a post out of frustration. I'll shoot you and email.
- roninb 10y ago
  I'm almost positive you mean "I'll shoot you an email." but the idea of someone being so frustrated with healthcare.gov they want to shoot the messenger (yet still get the problem resolved) is in-line with what I've heard. (and gave me a hearty chuckle)
  - sixbit 10y ago
    Haha, just a typo and not a subconscious slip, I swear! :-)
- shashashasha 10y ago
  Got it, it sounds like there is some issue on the healthcare.gov side. I work at Nava so feel free to email me as well. I totally understand your frustration, and though it sounds like we don't work on the components of healthcare.gov that are leaving you in the lurch just reach out and we can try and route your issue to the right people.
  - sixbit 10y ago
    Thanks so much, most appreciated. I'll take the first offer of help first and if that doesn't work I'll follow up with you.

GFischer 10y ago

Both Nava and healthcare.gov people replied, in under an hour. Looks like a win for the OP (or as much of a win it can get in this fucked-up situation).

sixbit 10y ago
Fingers crossed!
- sixbit 10y ago
  Just wanted to add that both were a big help and that my insurance is active again. Thanks to everyone who tried to help. I'll have to pay it forward somehow.