Thinking outside the box

by Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

It’s really getting old hearing people complain about the healthcare.gov website. So I decided to pick up the phone and call in for an application just to see what this is all about. Remember what happened when millions of seniors signed up for Medicare when it started in 1965? All they had then were paper applications and the telephone.

My application went quite smoothly. It was about 1pm on a Friday afternoon. I thought, “I must be crazy calling at a peak time,” but I got right through. A very nice guy named Albert Black took my call.

First Albert asked if I wanted the application mailed to me or if I wanted to fill it out on the phone. It’s required that people fill out an application of eligibility before information on the Marketplace is sent.

So, I filled out the application. It took about 15 minutes. Albert went over my demographic info, age, and other general info – including my social security number.

Then Albert asked me a few questions about my income; gross adjusted, net – and for both 2013 and 2014 (projected). He asked if I filed jointly, asked if I have children, if I have Medicaid…several other questions. All of these questions help determine eligibility.

One of the final questions was, “Are you a U.S Citizen?” Seems like that should have been the first question, but that’s OK.

So I passed. I qualified. I’m eligible. To apply for insurance, that is. Now they will send me a book to choose a plan from the Marketplace. I am so excited…insurance!

So think about the days before the internet…we managed. Go pick up the phone – you won’t hesitate to do it when it comes to shopping or chatting with your “boo.”

I don’t mind waiting for the book, I don’t mind placing a phone call; in fact, I don’t mind calling 211 or the 800 numbers for a navigator to “guide me through the marketplace.”

Remember, the Medicare and Medicaid programs were signed into law on July 30, 1965. Did those seniors have “dotgov” anything? Heck no.

In fact, when President Bush signed Medicare legislation for the Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, most seniors were clueless about the internet and had to seek help from family, friends or trained health care professionals.

So why all the whining about the rollout of the healthcare.gov website? You have so many options. Call 211 in most states for a navigator (someone to help you get enrolled), call 1 (800) 318-2596 for a paper application, or to apply directly by phone, call 1 (800) 318-2596 (same number). There are people staffing these phones 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It’s said in reports that these applications are “stuck in the same queue.” I’ll let you know if I have a problem with that. For now, I am excited to have healthcare for the first time in many years.

We don’t need to scrap the entirety of Obamacare. All we need to do is think outside the box. Or in this case, outside the dot.

The Gayly – December 14, 2013 @ 2:15pm