Left To Die -- One Story From Obamacare

The Washington Post disclosed on Monday that there are 22,000 people who have filed appeals regarding Obamacare who are just being ignored.  That may not be clear to most people; it needs more description.  There were numerous people who tried to buy insurance from the Obamacare exchange but who got mistreated (or at least claim that was the case.)  They bought one policy but got another; they were told one subsidy or premium but got charged another; they were told that they had insurance but then did not, or some other such event.  The exchange website tells people that if they have a problem with their insurance buying experience, they can file an appeal seeking to have things changed.  There is a form to file.  The form then has to be mailed to an address in Kentucky.  In fact, some 22,000 of these forms had been filed as of a few weeks ago.  Once the forms are received, they get scanned into the computer system.  After that, nothing else happens.  The appeals are kept in the system, but no one reads them or considers their merits.  No changes are ever made.  In fact, the computer system to deal with the appeals DOES NOT EXIST.

Let me say this another way.  The Obamacare exchange website offers people the right to appeal but there is no mechanism for these appeals to ever be considered.

According to the Washington Post, there are people among the 22000 who do not have health insurance because their appeals are pending (but not being considered).  One story covered was of a woman who now needs surgery but who cannot get the operation because she lacks insurance.  Obamacare which was sold as the way to provide health insurance to more Americans is now working to keep insurance from these 22,000 policy holders and their families.

Once again, the White House answer is to say that this is just a small number.  All I can say is "Tell that to those 22,000 families and see the response."