The roll out of the health care exchanges has been a stunning failure. A look at the federal exchange’s Facebook page reveals that there are plenty of unsatisfied customers.

As you’ll see, not all the complaints are about website glitches, many are about the site’s design or simply about prices. I have left out the names but all of these complaints can be found on the Facebook page and all are from the last 48 hours:

 

  1. please
    help me! I have called the number, did the online chat. How long does
    it take for ID docs to be verified? I called the help line and they
    couldn’t find my account. I checked my account online and somedays it
    indicates ID verification in process… Other days it states I need to
    upload docs… I just want to make sure my docs have been received and
    ARE actually being reviewed. The call center told me they do not have
    access and cannot help me.
  2. it’s
    been 11 days now… my user name and password still come up invalid,
    how do I know if this is a glitch or if something really went wrong with
    the user name and password? I’m so tired of this already :(
  3. I
    am an Obamcare supporter, but I cannot afford these premiums and
    deductibles. I finally got through to the “plans” yesterday and for
    300/month with a 6000 annual deductible I think more than the software
    is broken.
  4. I
    was finally able to get my rates for Obama care today. For a silver
    plan for Jody and I the premium would be $9311.00 per year. The bronze
    plan would be $8025.00. That is $775.91 per month with a maximum out of
    pocket of $12700.00 plus the premium of $9311.00 or $22011.00 a year. It
    pays 100% of preventative care and 70% of any covered expenses that are
    not preventative. I now pay $425.00 per month for a plan with a
    $10000.00 deductible in a medical savings account which allows me to
    save about $6300.00 a year tax free with no tax on the earnings. The
    savings can only be used for medical expenses. The maximum out of pocket
    is $10000.00 because the plan pays 100% after the deductible with a one
    million life time limit. I think and my insurance company has assured
    me, although I am not positive that my plan is grandfathered in as long
    as I keep my plan. The rates have already increased from $325.00 a month
    because Obama care requires all plans to pay 100% for certain things
    that are preventative that were not previously covered by my plan. I
    want to keep my existing plan, but if I can’t, I am going to go the next
    6 years without coverage until I become eligible for Medicare.
  5. Listen
    to this. I just got my quote today from BCBS NC and for the same plan I
    already have the comparable ACA plan is almost double in cost. You
    think people are going to go for this? Fooling yourselves if you
    believe that.
  6. The
    page doesn’t work. 10 days. 10 freaking days, and I can’t even get log
    in information or view available plans. Over 600 MILLION dollars, 3.5
    years, and I can’t log in to the site. This is beyond ridiculous. I lost
    my health insurance thanks to this law. I will not forget. This will be
    a punch line for years. Years.
  7. This
    site is terrible. I have wasted so much time I will never get back. I
    supported healthcare reform and defended it to everyone and now I wish I
    never had. Horrible, frustrating, worthless!
  8. I
    just received a letter saying that my plan was not ACA compliant and
    unless I cancelled, I would be automatically enrolled in a new plan that
    costs DOUBLE what my current plan costs, not including dental. And my
    deductible also doubled.
  9. I
    just love how I’m in the bracket where I would have more monthly
    spending money if I made less than 45K and could qualify for the
    subsidy.
  10. The
    monthly premium I viewed on the Healtcare.gov website is vastly
    different from the monthly premium from the Insurance carrier website.
    It was for the exact same plan and I don’t qualify for any subsidies.
    Now I am questioning the validity of this information.
  11. The
    main website doesn’t work and this “helpful tool” don’t work for me on
    any of the 5 devices I have used to try to get this mess worked out
    since day 1! This is sad and pathetic and just wow!
  12. Why
    aren’t we able to shop the plans without having to enter sensitive
    identifying information? Plans could be shopped based on age,
    state/county you live in which is all the information the health
    insurance premium is based on.
  13. Each
    time I try to establish an account I am told system too busy. But when
    I retry and use the same name I am told it is taken. Some of these are
    so specific to me that I can’t believe they are used. Is the system
    keeping “proposed” names in limbo. If so I am running out of names.
  14. Can
    someone please address this issue. I have created 3 accounts only to go
    to the log in page and it says invalid log in. I have already verified
    the email address I have tried to reset my log in but it wont send me
    the email. I can’t do it again because it says my email is already
    registered. I have called several times and Im told “we are working on
    it. Is this a know problem or just me?
  15. My
    premium has increased from $659 to $1,171 a month for a family of four
    for a HIGH DEDUCTIBLE plan with $5,000 per person deductible and $11,000
    per family. None of the added benefits are worth anything to my family,
    but I am not grandfathered into my old plan, which I would rather keep.
    We barely miss qualifying for a subsidy, but it would still be too
    expensive even with help. I want everyone to have healthcare, but we
    can’t afford this.
  16. My
    husband and I have been considered uninsurable for years. The premiums
    forced on us by Obamacare will most likely force us into bankruptcy.
    Estimated cost is $1700.00 a month.
  17. With
    all the technical difficulties and delays due to YOUR technical
    incompetency, shouldn’t the deadline for citizens be extended?
  18. 200
    per month with a $12,000 deductible Id rather get fined every
    year!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wont be buying health insurance Obamacare is just
    another way to screw the Americans
  19. I
    have registered 2 different times and validated the email that I
    received, when I get to the login it still tells me invalid info,so I
    call then sit on hold for over an hour when it says 20 minutes. I’m very
    frustrated and just wish there was a way to view my
    options/plans/pricing without logging on. This is totally ridiculous!!
  20. ill
    just be taking my $95 dollar fine..in the mail or whatever is fine. I
    can not and will not justify $250 a month for something i will barely if
    ever use…also what good is a subsidy if you cant even qualify for it. 
  21. This
    site is lame@!! I’ve wasted way too much time on this mess. Completed
    the application 3 times. It tells me that it can’t verify my identity,
    deletes (most of) my application and takes me back to the beginning to
    start over. JUST PUBLISH THE RATES so we can see if they really are
  22. Amazing.
    I’ve had an account and application filled out now for a week…but
    THEY can’t confirm MY identity. I’ve given them my FEDERALLY ISSUED
    S.S.N, Drivers License and Address…and they still can’t confirm. I’ve
    submitted documents, called the number…and still they cannot confirm
    my identity. If THEY can’t confirm I exist, does that make me exempt
    from this law?
  23. I
    live in Wisconsin and was in a high risk pool before Obamacare. I had
    very high premiums and high deductibles but NOTHING like this. $5000/yr
    premiums and $12,700 deductibles that do not include premiums. I am
    for the first time in my life not going to have insurance. Thanks for
    everything…… I was looking forward to this.
  24. I
    get to the page that says authenticating and then i just get a blank
    screen! 10 days of trying to get through. I am very disheartened by
    this.
  25. The
    co-insurance. Tell me how the poor can afford $12,000 a year when they
    get sick. Even if the rest of us pay their premiums it isn’t going to
    work. All my concerns were laid to rest when I saw my comparable plan
    was only $400 more a month for my family! THANKS!
  26. It won’t let me verify my identity. An error always pops up. This is very frustrating it has been 10 days…
  27. Family
    of 4 $560.00 for catastrophic!!! 660 for crappy bronze, 750 for silver,
    1100 for gold! That’s FN crazy!!! The plan I have now is 420 for what
    would be your gold plan. I sure hope I get to keep it. You need to raise
    the income subs. Or this will absolutely destroy the middle class!
  28. I
    am really tired of all the errors… can’t get on, once on can’t save,
    can’t get to the right account… was on the right account did the
    application but didn’t pick a plan, now it says id doesn’t exist, try to
    create a new one, says system is not available…. call the help number
    and get no where… chat is worthless… I understand website glitches
    but the same glitch for 10 days???? really???? 
  29. Justin
    and Brenda, I received the rates directly from my insurer. There is no
    lower rate and I do not qualify for subsidies. My boyfriend and I both
    make under $45k and neither of us qualify. The plan that was offered to
    us both was subpar to the ones we currently have at double the cost. We
    are cancelling as of Dec. 31, 2013.
  30. I
    was just told via the 800 number that many thousands of people have
    successfully signed up, but no explanation why perhaps millions more
    have had their login IDs rescinded, or their passwords disabled leaving
    them with no ability to apply or purchase insurance via the marketplace.
    I have stopped believing anything I’m told by these contractors. Where
    is congress, the white house, the governors of the 50 states? Heads need
    to roll for this fiasco.
  31. The
    information on the subsidy calculator isn’t valid. My husband and I
    make $14,000 a year and it says I don’t qualify because my income is not
    below poverty level.
  32. So,
    I just ran the exchange rates for myself. For a $6,000 deductible
    (which is ridiculous) 60% bronze plan, it runs $146 a month. Not bad,
    but I might as well not have coverage at that point due to to the high
    deductible. The gold plan for a $3,250 deductible, runs $254 per month.
    So, I ran my rates with BCBSTX outside of the exchange…for a $1,000 deductible PPO plan, it’s $157 per month.
  33. You
    can get exact numbers in a variety of ways. These super-low estimates,
    calculated virtually without regard to age, are only for the media.
  34. these
    rates are extremely misleading. older people pay MUCH more. i actually
    got through and signed up for a plan @673 mo. this website gives a price
    of 450. i wish.
  35. Horrible
    system and experience!! Extremely frustrating! I have been trying for
    10 days and absolutely no luck! I was able to fill out an application
    online but received a message that my ID could not be verified. I
    called and was told I had to go through Experian. I spent two days on
    hold waiting for Experian to validate my Id. When I finally got
    through they told me they could not help me and that I should wait a
    week and submit a new application on line! I give up!
  36. I
    was able to create an account last week. I try to log in and get “The
    webpage can not be found”. Will I ever get real numbers???
  37. Been
    trying since day 1 to see what options I have. I FINALLY got to the
    page. Anyone else with this problem?
  38. [8:52:34 pm]: Welcome! You’re now connected to Health Insurance Marketplace Live Chat.

    Thanks
    for contacting us. My name is Rosa. To protect your privacy, please
    don’t provide any personal information, like Social Security Number, or
    any other sensitive medical or personal information.

    [8:52:43 pm]: Judy
    I have been trying to reset my password for almost a week. NO EMails have been received to reset.
    [8:53:51 pm]: Judy
    Hello?
    [8:54:52 pm]: Judy
    Is someone there????

  39. I
    just got my eligibility after submitting an application and I STILL
    CANT SEE the plans and rates!!! I now have to send my financial
    statements (Self employed) to some address in Kentucky and wait 2 weeks.
    I am dead serious. I waited 9 days and several hours completing my
    application for a family of 7 to find out absolutely NOTHING. I called
    the toll free line and they had no clue… no help.. They actually
    said…come back tomorrow!
  40. This
    is the most frustrating experience I’ve ever encountered. There is no
    tech support help. Live chat, the phone line, nobody can help me get
    this application accepted so I can move on. Why is there no valid help
    for all these tech support problems? 
  41. I
    voted democrat and now discouraged after going on the website to shop
    for healthcare. The plan I have I pay $264 a mo with a 5K deductible
    with BCBS of TX and now my plan will go up to almost $400 a mo with a 6K
    deductible??
  42. Just wasted another hour trying to setup an account. The needs to be delayed until they can ensure it works.
  43. Tried
    to use the account tonight and all I get is a blank page and sometimes I
    get “Unexpected Error” with no other text. C’MON! At least give
    realistic information on what the problems are and when you will fix
    them!
  44. I
    have looked forward to affordable healthcare for Americans for sooo
    long. I have filled out my application at least 40 times and still have
    errors. Still waiting to be verified as well. I have called the
    hotline at least five times. Extremely frustrated at this juncture.
  45. Really?!!
    This failure of a website only cost the taxpayers $634,320,919!!!! This
    is another money pit like solyndra, where did all that money go? It
    didn’t go into the Website! 
  46. thank
    god my state Kentucky set up their own site! that way I quickly found
    out the cheapest plan for me was $109 more expensive, with a higher
    deductible, coinsurance and max out of pocket. VS my current private
    plan of course.
  47. I’ve
    tried multiple times over the past 10 days to log on. No luck at all.
    Imagine what would have happened to Amazon or Google if they were down
    10 days after their launch.
  48. Very
    frustrated with this. A friend laughed at me and said “Ha ha- you think
    it’s a good idea to still entrust your healthcare to a bunch of idiots
    who cannot get a website up and running, given 3 yrs and the unlimited
    resources of the US gov!? “
  49. I
    am seriously tired of being part of your QA testers because you failed
    to properly test ahead of time. It is sad when the highest level IT
    tells my husband who’s in IT that the http 400 bad error is not a
    significant issue yet to look into and that everyone on some level has
    that problem and we get told, sorry for the inconvenience you have until
    Dec. 15th to enroll. What these yahoos don’t realize is that uh NOPE I
    need to see the choices because my husband has a 2 week mandatory
    enrollment in Nov. and we lose our private health ins. 1/1/2014 because
    of the exchanges.

  50. Go
    to ehealthinsurance.com and check rates. They will be the same, just
    without the subsidy for those who qualify for that. Hold onto your hat
    though.

There are hundreds more like these on the Facebook site. In fact, I haven’t even looked through half of what has been posted in the last 48 hours.