WASHINGTON
(AP) — Defending President Barack Obama's much-maligned health care
overhaul in Congress, his top health official was confronted Wednesday
with a government memo raising new security concerns about the
trouble-prone website that consumers are using to enroll.
Associated Press
Concerns raised about security of health website
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and LAURIE KELLMAN
2 hours ago
.
View gallery
.
.
.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defending President Barack Obama's
much-maligned health care overhaul in Congress, his top health official
was confronted Wednesday with a government memo raising new security
concerns about the trouble-prone website that consumers are using to
enroll.
The document, obtained by The Associated Press, shows that
administration officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services were concerned that a lack of testing posed a potentially
"high" security risk for the HealthCare.gov website serving 36 states.
It was granted a temporary security certificate so it could operate.
Security
issues are a new concern for the troubled HealthCare.gov website. If
they cannot be resolved, they could prove to be more serious than the
long list of technical problems the administration is trying to address.
"You
accepted a risk on behalf of every user...that put their personal
financial information at risk," Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., told Health
and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during questioning before
the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "Amazon would never do this.
ProFlowers would never do this. Kayak would never do this. This is
completely an unacceptable level of security."
Sebelius countered
that the system is secure, even though the site has a temporary
certificate, known in government parlance as an "authority to operate."
Sebelius said a permanent certificate will only be issued once all
security issues are addressed.
Added spokeswoman Joanne Peters:
"When consumers fill out their online...applications, they can trust
that the information they're providing is protected by stringent
security standards and that the technology underlying the application
process has been tested and is secure. Security testing happens on an
ongoing basis using industry best practices."
A
security certificate is required before any government computer system
can process, store or transmit agency data. Temporary certificates are
allowable, but under specific circumstances.
Earlier, the
secretary said she's responsible for the "debacle" of cascading problems
that overwhelmed the government website intended to make shopping for
health insurance clear and simple.
"Hold me accountable for the debacle," Sebelius said during a contentious hearing. "I'm responsible."
Sebelius
is promising to have the problems fixed by Nov. 30, even as Republicans
opposed to Obama's health care law are calling in chorus for her
resignation. She told the committee that the technical issues that led
to frozen screens and error messages are being cleared up on a daily
basis.
Addressing consumers, Sebelius added, "So let me say directly to these Americans, you deserve better. I apologize."
The
Sept. 27 memo to Medicare chief Marylin Tavenner said a website
contractor wasn't able to test all the security controls in one complete
version of the system.
"From
a security perspective, the aspects of the system that were not tested
due to the ongoing development, exposed a level of uncertainty that can
be deemed as a high risk for the (website)," the memo said.
It
recommended setting up a security team to address risks, conduct daily
tests, and a full security test within two to three months of going
live.
HealthCare.gov was intended to be the online gateway to
coverage for millions of uninsured Americans, as well those who purchase
their policies individually. Many people in the latter group will have
to get new insurance next year, because their policies do not meet the
standards of the new law.
Sebelius' forthright statement about her
ultimate accountability came as she was being peppered with questions
by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., about who was responsible. It was
Blackburn who introduced the term "debacle."
Rep. Henry Waxman of
California, the ranking Democrat on the committee, scoffed at Republican
"oversight" of a law they have repeatedly tried to repeal.
"I
would urge my colleagues to stop hyperventilating," said Waxman. "The
problems with HealthCare.gov are unfortunate and we should investigate
them, but they will be fixed. And then every American will have --
finally have access to affordable health insurance."
Throughout
the 3 ½-hour hearing, Sebelius was respectful and poised, often
addressing lawmakers as "sir" or "congresswoman." She kept her cool as
some lawmakers repeatedly cut off her answers. But she did not shy a few
times from tersely interjecting her views while a member was speaking.
The
standing-room-only hearing room was silent when she swore an oath to
tell the truth and began her statement. "I apologize," she told the rapt
committee.
Sebelius faced questions about problems with the
website as well as a wave of cancellation notices hitting individuals
and small businesses who buy their own insurance.
Lawmakers also
want to know how many people have enrolled in plans through the health
exchanges, a number the Obama administration has so far refused to
divulge, instead promising to release it in mid-November.
On
Tuesday, Medicare chief Marilyn Tavenner was questioned for nearly three
hours by members of the House Ways and Means Committee who wanted to
know why so many of their constituents were getting cancellation notices
from their insurance companies.
The cancellations problem goes to
one of Obama's earliest promises about the health law: You can keep
your plan if you like it. The promise dates back to June 2009, when
Congress was starting to grapple with overhauling the health care system
to cover uninsured Americans.
As early as last spring, state
insurance commissioners started giving insurers the option of canceling
existing individual plans for 2014, because the coverage required under
Obama's law is significantly more robust. Some states directed insurers
to issue cancellations. Large employer plans covering most workers and
their families are unlikely to be affected.
The law includes a
complicated "grandfathering" system to try to make good on Obama's
pledge. It shields plans from the law's requirements provided the plans
themselves change very little. Insurers say it has proven impractical.
The cancellation notices are now reaching policyholders.
Tavenner
blamed insurance companies for cancelling the policies and said most
people who lose coverage will be able to find better replacement plans
in the health insurance exchanges, in some cases for less money.
For me, personally I would not go to an online site and put in my information regarding Obamacare like that I would go to a an insurance broker in person instead to let them tell me what was available.
No comments:
Post a Comment