Online adventures with Obamacare: Reps admit ‘known’ security bug, but ‘please be patient,’ guys

Posted at 9:30 am on October 1, 2013 by Jenn Taylor

Tried signing up for this #Obamacare and step 3 won't produce any security questions….#nogood
— Bekah (@MrsBdf) October 1, 2013

Well, that ought to inspire confidence.

As Twitchy reported, on day one of the Obamacare rollout, state insurance exchange websites are a big ol’ snafu and HealthCare.gov’s security failures have citizens’ heads meeting their desks.

Thanks for the ready-made Obamacare metaphor, HealthCare.gov!

I'd like to create a http://t.co/2hmarW46Of account..butthere are no security questions to select.. pic.twitter.com/OTeEJGguaT
— Oscar Gala Grano (@oscargala) October 1, 2013

Trying to create a Marketplace account. Is the Dept of Security Questions currently shutdown? #obamacare pic.twitter.com/EQRUUuuE4C
— Nick Gower (@ITDogsbody) October 1, 2013

Us too RT @AriellaM: My first Obamacare bug. Dropdowns for security questions aren't working so I can't register. pic.twitter.com/Zr8yPwJ0II
— Nathan Spencer (@NathanSpencer) October 1, 2013

@HealthCareGov The security question dropdown box is blank for me. Tried both Firefox and IE. pic.twitter.com/SlVIhMDaOv
— Dean Smith (@deanfromearth) October 1, 2013

@HealthCareGov Firefox and chrome dont show security ?'s – IE does show ?'s – Opera says The System is down pic.twitter.com/WdfbMrLkfp
— Candy Graham (@nahars) October 1, 2013

NRO contributor Greg Pollowitz tried to get some answers from a HealthCare.gov live-chat rep about the FUBAR-ific security bug. After wasting more than 30 minutes of his day, he was told that the broken website is a “known issue.”

I'm trying to create an account on http://t.co/EXdKrtioM1 and none of the dropdown menu work on the security questions page. cc @whitehouse
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

I'm now in the Live Chat help window. 8 mins and counting.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

dear @HealthCareGov: the security questions drop-down boxes are blank.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

keep in mind, I'm still just trying to create an Obamacare account.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

[06:58:02 am]: Thanks for contacting Health Insurance Marketplace Live Chat. Please wait while we connect you to someone who can help.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

dear @HealthCareGov It's taken 15mins and I'm stuck on step 3…just trying to create an acct. I have 5 more mins to wait
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

[07:10:54 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

I wonder if this message from the live chat on Ocare is what they got in #benghazi: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

dear @whitehouse and @HealthCareGov: you promised I could sign up today and the site isn't working and now I can't! need some krokodil
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

20 minutes trying to sign up and still stuck on step 3 and NOBODY will help me. thanks @HealthCareGov
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

from @HealthCareGov: [07:13:55 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

and here's the thing…as far as tech-savy goes, I'm pretty high on the scale. Imagine my mom on this p.o.s. site? thanks @healthcaregov!
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

dear @HealthCareGov: here's what I'm seeing…you click the dropdown box and it's blank. pic.twitter.com/VoD7b8WjCw
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

@hleecar @HealthCareGov I think 5….remember, I'm just creating an account.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

dear @HealthCareGov and @WhiteHouse: 25 minutes… [07:18:57 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

@jolingkent I've been trying to sign up for 30 mins now…step 3 doesn't work for me. try it…the security q's page is messed up
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

for the record, I"ve been in and out of the NYC DMV in less time. cc @HealthCareGov
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

just heard back fr @healthcaregov. Step 3 is broken is a "known issue." But they still have the website live? idiots http://t.co/rGxaCLYnhz
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

dear @whitehouse: your tech ppl just told me it's a known issue that the site doesn't work. Then put up an effin note on the homepage
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

All I wanted to do today was sign up for Obamacare and the computer is broken 🙁 http://t.co/rGxaCLYnhz
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

35 minutes to find out @healthcaregov has a "known issue" and I can't sign up online. http://t.co/rGxaCLYnhz
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

And by the way, I'm available for media requests to discuss the traumatic exp I had with Obamacare this am. http://t.co/rGxaCLYnhz
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

but don't worry @healthcaregov. I can multi-task. While not signing up for Obamacare I made a delicious fruit smoothie and eggs for my kids
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

and PS to @whitehouse and @healthcaregov: you could use social media to say, "hey, our site doesn't work right now so don't waste time"
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

the same people who didn't think to test the drop-down menus on Step 3 of Ocare think Ted Cruz is stupid. http://t.co/rGxaCLYnhz
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) October 1, 2013

Pollowitz isn’t the only one who got the “known issue” line and apparently the best ETA on a fix is “soon.” Or maybe “later.” Surprise!

More on Obamacare Exchange: Chat support told me they're working on a known issue w/ security questions page & hope to have it up soon.
— Jess (@jessmsells) October 1, 2013

#ACA web site having problems creating user accounts. The security question drop-downs aren't working. Known issue with no ETA.
— Bruce Tax & CPA (@BruceTaxCPA) October 1, 2013

Don't try to sign up for #obamacare. Just wasted 63 minutes. Can't fill out the security questions. They are trying to fix it. Try later.RT
— Richard Krawiec (@jacarpress) October 1, 2013

But no worries. The federal government totally respects your time.

Obamacare: 'Please be patient' #HarryReidsShutdown #tcot #DefundObamacare pic.twitter.com/gQTenOJLd2
— Where's Yo Dolla (@tokm) October 1, 2013

Typical govt policy. http://t.co/lhrrGq98RL says "please be patient!" Imagine if you're waiting for a heart transplant. #fallforward #msnbc
— Jon (@cgjon1999) October 1, 2013

started the live chat at http://t.co/GOtBK1aB6v to get some answers – response " Please be patient while we're helping other people."
— Nereida Diesen (@nereidadin) October 1, 2013

Stuck on step 2 of http://t.co/SNeAC2iXsa due to error – chat response? [12:28:17 am]: Please be patient while we're helping other people.
— Cyrus Sanati (@BeyondBlunt) October 1, 2013

Live Chat says "Please be patient while we're helping other people"#Obamacare
— Jaclyn DeVincentis (@divawifeiam) October 1, 2013

https://twitter.com/myencorelife/status/384992788242112512

Feeling secure yet?

After trying again, got into http://t.co/ld7joJ3auB. Signing up to check rates. Now the drop-down menu on the security questions don't work.
— Greg Neumann (@gneumann_wkow) October 1, 2013

@HealthCareGov The security question drop-downs aren't populating. We can't create accounts as a result.
— C. G. Brown (@brokenbeatnik) October 1, 2013

Can't get past step #3 on http://t.co/jyvOkWgEe7 to sign up for Obamacare. No security questions to select & can't live chat. #notagoodstart
— Christian Partyka (@cpartyka) October 1, 2013

Trying to browse the @HealthCareGov website. When creating account, security question options won't show up. Can't move forward.
— Jason Piscia (@jasonpiscia) October 1, 2013

http://t.co/tNSeHGZvOa bogged down, won’t even populate security question drop downs
— spara (@spara) October 1, 2013

@HealthCareGov the security questions for creating an account are not working, please fix them!!
— Marry Liu (@MarryLiu) October 1, 2013

@HealthCareGov, in the absence of security questions, I plugged in the same answer and was denied an account and forced to start over…
— Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) October 1, 2013

‘So much for security!’ Health insurance websites continue ‘head desk’ fail

Surprise! Obamacare health insurance exchange websites don’t work; HealthCare.gov a total mess