The Department of Health and Human Services Vows to Fix Healthcare Website as Soon as Possible

Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services' Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee as part of a series of House hearings into the issues and glitches surrounding 2010 Affordable Care Act's website, HealthCare.gov.

Many individuals have encountered a host of problems when trying to use the portal. Others found the information and options confusing and hard to navigate. Recent polls suggest that only seven percent of Americans believe the initial rollout went "extremely well or very well."

While Sebelius conceded the problems with the website were "not acceptable" and have been "frustrating for many Americans," she stated that the website will be fixed as quickly as possible.

Late last month, representatives of the private contractors who helped build the site testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee and said they lacked the time to test the site adequately before its October 1st launch.

According to Sebelius' testimony, the HHS has updated the system with new code and help from government experts and others in the private sector. Jeffrey Zients, formerly with the Office of Management and Budget, has been named to lead the charge and claims the problems will be rectified by November 30th.

In the meantime, individuals looking to learn more about the Exchanges or wanting to purchase a plan can call one of the navigators listed for their state or the call center listed on HealthCare.gov at 1-800-318-2596.

There is still time, as the deadline to sign up for insurance is December 15th (for cosverage starting January 1st). The deadline to sign up so you avoid a penalty at tax time in 2015 is March 31, 2014.