The answer
Not demonstrably ready on the public record
No. On the public record at the close of September 30, 2013, consumer enrollment is promised and planned but not proven. Of 32 evidence items, 0 are independently verified passes. The core functions (eligibility and enrollment, data exchange (data hub), qualified health plans, consumer assistance, capacity and performance) each lack any public test result. 3 exact planned deadlines (July 31, 2013, August 15, 2013, September 15, 2013) had passed by the as-of date with no public record of completion, and the only independent reviewer, GAO, said in June that timely and smooth implementation could not yet be determined. An accountable official should not certify readiness on this record. Before opening, demand the dated test and sign-off evidence listed below; if it cannot be produced, open only under a narrower, gated operating plan.
Decision rule. Ready only if every core requirement has at least one independently verified pass in the public record. A plan, a claim, or the start of testing does not count.
- 11Contemporaneous claim
- 12Planned deadline
- 8Observed completion or fact
- 0Independently verified pass
- 1Unknown
Exact planned deadlines already past at the as-of date, with no public record of completion:
- E16: Certify qualified health plans by July 31, 2013, planned date , 61 days before the as-of date. HC1 GAO-13-601
- E19: Navigator awards anticipated August 15, 2013, planned date , 46 days before the as-of date. HC1 GAO-13-601
- E17: Finalize and load plan data into the website by September 15, 2013, planned date , 15 days before the as-of date. HC1 GAO-13-601
How to read status
Five separate states. Only an independently verified pass would settle readiness, and the record contains none.
- Contemporaneous claim A dated statement by an agency, contractor or committee staff. Shows intent or position, not function.
- Planned deadline A deadline someone set. A passed planned date is not treated as met.
- Observed completion or fact A completion or fact reported by GAO from records (an award, a start, a delay). Starting a test is not passing it.
- Independently verified pass An independent party reports a test passed. None in the public excerpts.
- Unknown The record explicitly cannot answer, or says nothing.
Launch-eve requirements and readiness table
Each row links the public promise to the evidence on record, sorted by status. Annotations state what is still unknown and what would close the gap.
| Requirement | Promised or claimed | Planned deadline | Observed | Independently verified pass | Unknown at close of Sep 30, and verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 Public promise Consumers can create accounts, complete an online application and shop for plans from October 1, 2013. |
|
None on record | None on record | None on record | No public record of an end-to-end run of account, application, eligibility result and plan selection. Not demonstrated. |
| R2 Eligibility and enrollment The system determines eligibility for a qualified health plan and enrolls the person. |
None on record |
|
None on record | None on record | Whether development and testing finished, and any pass rate. Planned date is opening day itself. Not demonstrated. |
| R3 Data exchange (data hub) Verification data flow between CMS, federal partners and states under agreed service levels. |
None on record |
|
|
None on record | Whether July SLAs were signed; whether external testing with all federal partners and all states finished in early September; operational readiness status. Not demonstrated. |
| R4 Qualified health plans Certified plans are loaded and displayed for comparison. |
None on record |
|
None on record | None on record | Number of plans certified; whether data loaded by September 15, 2013; any accuracy check of displayed data. Not demonstrated. |
| R5 Consumer assistance Call center assists with application and plan selection; navigators and in-person help exist. |
|
|
|
None on record | Navigator awards (anticipated August 15, 2013) not shown; call center application-help readiness; in-person system availability. Not demonstrated. |
| R6 Capacity and performance The site and data hub handle opening-day demand at an acceptable response time. |
|
|
None on record | None on record | No public load test, expected peak volume, response time target or availability target in any excerpt. Not demonstrated. |
| R7 Contractor scope and money The build contractor's scope covers the exchange and is funded. |
|
None on record |
|
None on record | Task order ID; obligations after March 31, 2013; deliverable acceptance; whether CGI scope covers every component above. Not demonstrated. |
| R8 Oversight signals Independent and political oversight views on readiness. |
|
None on record |
|
None on record |
|
What to demand before opening
Evidence to demand, by requirement
- R1: A dated end-to-end transaction test record for account, application, eligibility result and plan selection, with pass criteria and open defect counts.
- R2: A signed test completion report for eligibility and enrollment plus an independent verification of the pass, dated before opening.
- R3: Signed SLA list by partner and state; external test results per partner; a September readiness sign-off.
- R4: Certified plan count by state and a load verification extract dated on or after September 15, 2013.
- R5: Award notices, call center staffing and application-help scripts tested against the live system, and an in-person system test.
- R6: Load and performance test results against a stated peak volume, the measured ceiling, and a throttling plan if the ceiling is below expected demand.
- R7: Current obligated total, contract modifications and deliverable acceptance records.
- R8: A written go or no-go signed by the accountable official listing, for each function, the test evidence relied on and who verified it.
If it cannot be produced: a narrower operating plan
- Open on schedule only the functions that have a dated, verified pass; publish which functions are live.
- Cap online account creation and applications at the tested capacity, with a queue or wait notice rather than an error, and raise the cap only on measured results.
- Where a data hub partner connection lacks a verified external test, hold eligibility results for that path as pending and re-verify before treating them as final.
- Show plan data only for states whose plan load has a verification extract; otherwise show a dated notice.
- Keep the call center as an assisted channel that records application information if the online path fails, with scripts tested against the live system.
- Hold a daily go or no-go review on stated thresholds (error rate, hub response time by partner, plan display accuracy) and publish the results.
- Use the 92 days between opening and coverage start to expand in phases; the enrollment deadline for January 1, 2014 coverage is not in the excerpts and must be confirmed.
These are recommendations for a gated opening, not facts from the sources.
The strongest case for opening, and what cannot be proved
Strongest case for opening on October 1, 2013
- The date is a public commitment restated by both CMS and the House majority staff; consumers have been told to expect it. Evidence: E02 (HC2 CMS release), E31 (HC4 House memo).
- GAO, the independent reviewer, found that CMS had met project schedules and completed many activities as of its June review. Evidence: E05 (HC1 GAO-13-601), E06 (HC1 GAO-13-601).
- Data hub testing began in October 2012 as planned, about a year before opening. Evidence: E12 (HC1 GAO-13-601).
- Consumer assistance procurement is observed, not just planned: call center contract awarded April 15, 2013; CMS described a re-launched site and new call center on June 24, 2013. Evidence: E20 (HC1 GAO-13-601), E23 (HC2 CMS release).
- Coverage starts January 1, 2014, 92 days after opening, so early defects in enrollment need not mean gaps in coverage if they are found and fixed. Evidence: E02 (HC2 CMS release), E32 (HC2 CMS release).
- The September 6 concerns come from majority staff and carry no test data, so they do not prove a defect either. Evidence: E30 (HC4 House memo).
Why it does not settle the question: each point is a claim, a plan or an observed start. None is a passed test of enrollment.
Cannot be proved from the public excerpts
- That eligibility and enrollment development and testing finished (planned by October 1, 2013, E09).
- That external data hub testing with all federal partners and all states finished or passed (planned for the beginning of September 2013, E15).
- That state and federal partner SLAs were signed, or what response time and availability they set (planned July 2013, E13, E14).
- That qualified health plans were certified by July 31, 2013 or loaded by September 15, 2013 (E16, E17).
- That navigator awards were made on or after August 15, 2013 (E19).
- That the call center can help with applications against the live system (E24).
- Any capacity figure: expected peak users, load test result, or response time target. No excerpt states one.
- CGI's task order ID, obligations after March 31, 2013, outlays, or deliverable acceptance (E26, E28, E29).
- That the excerpts are complete; they are selected passages, not full documents.
Dated timeline
True date axis, to . Markers sit on their exact dates; month-only plans are drawn as bars covering the whole month because the source gives no day. There is no completion curve: nothing in the record measures percent complete. Items outside the axis appear only in the table: the CGI award (), the October 2012 start of data hub testing, the October 2013 in-person assistance plan, and coverage start ().
| ID | Date | Event | Status | Days to Oct 1, 2013 open | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T00 | CGI award announced (E26) | Contemporaneous claim | 670 days | HC3 CGI release | |
| T01 | CGI obligations cut-off (E28) | Observed completion or fact | 184 days | HC1 GAO-13-601 | |
| T02 | Navigator notice, delayed (E18) | Observed completion or fact | 175 days | HC1 GAO-13-601 | |
| T03 | Call center contract awarded (E20) | Observed completion or fact | 169 days | HC1 GAO-13-601 | |
| T04 | GAO-13-601 published (E05) | Observed completion or fact | 104 days | HC1 GAO-13-601 | |
| T05 | CMS: site relaunched, call center (E23) | Contemporaneous claim | 99 days | HC2 CMS release | |
| T06 | QHP certification due (E16) | Planned deadline | 62 days | HC1 GAO-13-601 | |
| T07 | Navigator awards due (E19) | Planned deadline | 47 days | HC1 GAO-13-601 | |
| T08 | Majority staff concerns (E30) | Contemporaneous claim | 25 days | HC4 House memo | |
| T09 | QHP data load due (E17) | Planned deadline | 16 days | HC1 GAO-13-601 | |
| T10 | Decision, eve of opening | As-of date set for this review | 1 day | HC2 CMS release | |
| T11 | Open enrollment begins (E02) | Contemporaneous claim | 0 days | HC2 CMS release, HC4 House memo | |
| T12 | Coverage begins (E32) | Contemporaneous claim | 92 days after open | HC2 CMS release, HC4 House memo | |
| M1 | October 2012 (month only) | Data hub testing began (E12) | Observed completion or fact | Not computed: month only | HC1 GAO-13-601 |
| M2 | June 2013 (month only) | Call center start; relaunch due (E21, E22) | Planned deadline | Not computed: month only | HC1 GAO-13-601 |
| M3 | July 2013 (month only) | Hub build and SLAs due (E10, E13, E14) | Planned deadline | Not computed: month only | HC1 GAO-13-601 |
| M4 | September 2013 (month only) | Partner tests, hub ready due (E11, E15) | Planned deadline | Not computed: month only | HC1 GAO-13-601 |
| M5 | October 2013 (month only) | In-person assistance system due (E25) | Planned deadline | Not computed: month only | HC1 GAO-13-601 |
Exact day gaps
Computed only where both ends are exact calendar dates. Month-only items and the "about 2 months" delay are listed as not computed.
| Gap | From | To | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| G01 | CGI award announced, (HC3 CGI release) | Open enrollment begins, (HC2 CMS release) | 670 days |
| G02 | CGI obligations cut-off, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Decision point, (as-of) | 183 days |
| G03 | Navigator announcement, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Navigator awards anticipated, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | 128 days |
| G04 | Call center contract awarded, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Open enrollment begins, (HC2 CMS release) | 169 days |
| G05 | GAO-13-601 published, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Decision point, (as-of) | 103 days |
| G06 | CMS release, (HC2 CMS release) | Decision point, (as-of) | 98 days |
| G07 | QHP certification planned, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | QHP data load planned, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | 46 days |
| G08 | QHP certification planned, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Decision point, (as-of) | 61 days |
| G09 | Navigator awards anticipated, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Decision point, (as-of) | 46 days |
| G10 | Majority staff memo, (HC4 House memo) | Decision point, (as-of) | 24 days |
| G11 | QHP data load planned, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Decision point, (as-of) | 15 days |
| G12 | QHP data load planned, (HC1 GAO-13-601) | Open enrollment begins, (HC2 CMS release) | 16 days |
| G13 | Decision point, (as-of) | Open enrollment begins, (HC2 CMS release) | 1 days |
| G14 | Open enrollment begins, (HC2 CMS release) | Coverage begins, (HC2 CMS release) | 92 days |
Not computed (month or vague precision): E01, about 2 months; E07, about 2 months; E08, October 2013; E10, July 2013; E11, September 2013; E12, October 2012; E13, July 2013; E14, July 2013; E15, September 2013; E21, June 2013; E22, June 2013; E25, October 2013.
Contractor scope: award estimate is not obligated dollars
| Amount | Kind | As of | What it is not | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $93,700,000 | Contractor-announced estimated total contract value (two-year base plus three one-year options) | Not an obligation, not federal spending | HC3 CGI release | |
| $55,700,000 | Contractor-announced base contract awarded | Not an obligation total, not federal spending | HC3 CGI release | |
| $38,000,000 | Implied option-period estimate (derived: total estimate minus base) | Not exercised options as far as the record shows | HC3 CGI release | |
| $87,997,938 | Federal obligations recorded by CMS, reported by GAO (Table 4; text says about $88 million) | Through | Not outlays; not proof of delivered or working software | HC1 GAO-13-601 |
Comparison, with caution: obligations through March 31, 2013 exceed the announced base by $32,297,938 and equal 93.9% of the announced total estimate.
- An obligation is a legal commitment of funds; it is not the same as outlays (cash spent). No outlay figure is in the excerpts.
- GAO's line is 'FFE information technology and healthcare.gov'; the excerpts do not show it is the same instrument as the 2011 award, and the task order ID is absent from HC3.
- Obligations through March 31, 2013 already exceed the announced base; the excerpts do not say whether options were exercised or the contract was modified.
- Neither figure is evidence that any deliverable works.
Inspect the quoted evidence behind a readiness question
Each question below opens the verbatim passages behind one row of the table. They work without scripts; with scripts on, the chooser opens one question and closes the rest.
R1: Has the October 1 consumer promise been shown to work end to end?
The website will add functionality over the summer so that, by October, consumers will be able to create accounts, complete an online application, and shop for qualified health plans.
Contemporaneous claim E01, HC2 CMS release, dated . Shows: CMS publicly committed to three consumer functions. Does not show: No test, date of completion or measure of whether the functions work.
HHS is on target for open enrollment in the Marketplace, which begins Oct. 1, 2013, and other key milestones approaching in the months ahead. Coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2014.
Contemporaneous claim E02, HC2 CMS release, dated . Shows: Agency self-assessment on the release date. Does not show: Self-assessment is not an independent test result.
The re-launched Healthcare.gov and new call center will help consumers prepare for the new coverage opportunities coming later this year," said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. "In October, HealthCare.gov will be the online destination for consumers to compare and enroll in affordable, qualified health plans.
Contemporaneous claim E03, HC2 CMS release, dated . Shows: Named official's dated public statement of intent. Does not show: A statement of intent, not evidence of a working system.
In commenting on a draft of this report, the Department of Health and Human Services emphasized the progress it has made in establishing exchanges, and expressed its confidence that exchanges will be open and functioning in every state by October 1, 2013.
Contemporaneous claim E04, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: HHS position as reported by GAO. Does not show: GAO reports the confidence; GAO does not adopt it.
Open enrollment in the PPACA exchanges begins October 1, 2013, with coverage effective January 1, 2014.
Contemporaneous claim E31, HC4 House memo, dated . Shows: Independent restatement of the public dates. Does not show: Readiness.
HHS is on target for open enrollment in the Marketplace, which begins Oct. 1, 2013, and other key milestones approaching in the months ahead. Coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2014.
Contemporaneous claim E32, HC2 CMS release, dated . Shows: Public coverage start date. Does not show: Enrollment deadline for that coverage; not in the excerpts.
R2: Has eligibility and enrollment been tested and passed?
CMS expects to complete development and testing of the information technology systems necessary for FFEs to determine eligibility for enrollment into a QHP and to enroll individuals by October 1, 2013, when enrollment is scheduled to begin for the 2014 plan year.
Planned deadline E09, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 21, Eligibility and Enrollment]. Shows: A planned deadline for the core eligibility function. Does not show: That development or testing finished, or what the test results were.
R3: Is the data hub tested with every partner and under signed SLAs?
While CMS has met project schedules, several critical tasks, such as final testing with federal and state partners, remain to be completed.
Observed completion or fact E06, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: Observed open item: final partner testing incomplete at report time. Does not show: Whether that testing later finished or passed.
According to program officials, CMS established milestones for completing the development of required data hub functionality by July 2013, and for full implementation and operational readiness by September 2013.
Planned deadline E10, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub]. Shows: A planned month for data hub development. Does not show: Completion; the excerpt gives a month, not a day.
According to program officials, CMS established milestones for completing the development of required data hub functionality by July 2013, and for full implementation and operational readiness by September 2013.
Planned deadline E11, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub]. Shows: A planned month for data hub readiness. Does not show: Completion or the readiness criteria used.
CMS began conducting both internal and external testing for the data hub in October 2012, as planned.
Observed completion or fact E12, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub]. Shows: Observed start of testing, on schedule. Does not show: Test results. Starting a test is not passing it.
Service Level Agreements (SLA) between CMS and the states, which define characteristics of the system once it is operational, such as transaction response time and days and hours of availability, are planned to be completed in July 2013;
Planned deadline E13, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub]. Shows: A planned month for state SLAs that would define performance. Does not show: Signed SLAs or any numeric response time or availability target.
SLAs between CMS and its federal partner agencies that provide verification data are expected to be completed in July 2013; and
Planned deadline E14, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub]. Shows: A planned month for federal partner SLAs. Does not show: Signed SLAs.
Completion of external testing with all federal partner agencies and all states is to be completed by the beginning of September 2013.
Planned deadline E15, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub]. Shows: A planned month for the end-to-end partner test. Does not show: Completion or pass; no day is given, so no day gap is computed.
R4: Are certified plans loaded for consumers to compare?
Once received, CMS, with the assistance of its contractor, expects to evaluate and certify health plans as QHPs by July 31, 2013.
Planned deadline E16, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 24 to 25, Plan Management]. Shows: An exact planned deadline. Does not show: How many plans were certified, or that certification occurred.
CMS then expects to finalize the QHP information and load it into the exchange website by September 15, 2013.
Planned deadline E17, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 24 to 25, Plan Management]. Shows: An exact planned deadline for plan display data. Does not show: That loading happened or that displayed data were checked.
R5: Is consumer assistance ready to help people apply?
have been delayed by about 2 months, which has delayed training and other activities.
Observed completion or fact E07, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: Observed slippage of about 2 months (vague, no day count possible). Does not show: Exact dates of the delay or whether it was recovered.
However, the announcement was delayed until April 9, 2013, and CMS officials indicated that there would be one round of awards, with an anticipated award date of August 15, 2013.
Observed completion or fact E18, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 26, Consumer Assistance]. Shows: Observed delayed announcement date. Does not show: Grant awards; the announcement is not an award.
However, the announcement was delayed until April 9, 2013, and CMS officials indicated that there would be one round of awards, with an anticipated award date of August 15, 2013.
Planned deadline E19, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 26, Consumer Assistance]. Shows: An exact planned award date. Does not show: That awards were made or assisters trained.
CMS awarded the contract for operation of the call center on April 15, 2013, with the call center to begin operations by June 2013.
Observed completion or fact E20, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS]. Shows: Observed contract award (Table 2, source CMS). Does not show: Call center capacity or its readiness to assist with applications.
CMS awarded the contract for operation of the call center on April 15, 2013, with the call center to begin operations by June 2013.
Planned deadline E21, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS]. Shows: A planned month for call center start. Does not show: Observed start; see E23 for the CMS claim.
CMS planned to relaunch the healthcare.gov website in June 2013 to provide a greater focus on exchange enrollment.
Planned deadline E22, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS]. Shows: A planned month for the educational site. Does not show: Anything about the enrollment application.
The re-launched Healthcare.gov and new call center will help consumers prepare for the new coverage opportunities coming later this year," said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. "In October, HealthCare.gov will be the online destination for consumers to compare and enroll in affordable, qualified health plans.
Contemporaneous claim E23, HC2 CMS release, dated . Shows: Agency claim that educational site and call center exist. Does not show: Independent confirmation, or readiness for application help.
Between now and the start of open enrollment, the Marketplace call center will provide educational information and, beginning Oct. 1, 2013, will assist consumers with application completion and plan selection.
Contemporaneous claim E24, HC2 CMS release, dated . Shows: Agency commitment of assisted enrollment. Does not show: Staffing, scripts or tested access to the application system.
CMS plans that the system used by the FFE in states not assisting with consumer assistance activities will be available by the October 2013 initial enrollment date.
Planned deadline E25, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS]. Shows: A planned month. Does not show: Completion; month only.
R6: Is there evidence of capacity for opening-day demand?
Service Level Agreements (SLA) between CMS and the states, which define characteristics of the system once it is operational, such as transaction response time and days and hours of availability, are planned to be completed in July 2013;
Planned deadline E13, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub]. Shows: A planned month for state SLAs that would define performance. Does not show: Signed SLAs or any numeric response time or availability target.
Under the contract, CGI will work with CCIIO to develop and implement the Federal Exchange in line with the provision in the Affordable Care Act that requires the creation of a competitive health insurance marketplace for States and territories to help bring insurance coverage to 34 million additional Americans.
Contemporaneous claim E27, HC3 CGI release, dated . Shows: Contractor description of scope; the 34 million figure is a coverage goal. Does not show: A capacity or concurrent-user requirement; none is stated.
No passage in any source states a capacity target or load test. The SLA passage above only says SLAs would define response time and availability.
R7: What did the contract promise, and what was obligated?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) has awarded CGI Federal Inc. (CGI), a wholly-owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI Group Inc. (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A), a contract to build the U.S. government’s federally-facilitated health insurance exchange, Federal Exchange (FX). The contract has an estimated total contract value of US$93.7 million over a two-year base with three, one-year option periods. The US$55.7 million base contract has been awarded.
Contemporaneous claim E26, HC3 CGI release, dated . Shows: Contractor-announced award estimate and base, including option periods. Does not show: Federal obligations, spending or readiness.
Under the contract, CGI will work with CCIIO to develop and implement the Federal Exchange in line with the provision in the Affordable Care Act that requires the creation of a competitive health insurance marketplace for States and territories to help bring insurance coverage to 34 million additional Americans.
Contemporaneous claim E27, HC3 CGI release, dated . Shows: Contractor description of scope; the 34 million figure is a coverage goal. Does not show: A capacity or concurrent-user requirement; none is stated.
For one contract, with CGI Federal, CMS obligated about $88 million for activities to support establishment of the FFEs, such as information technology and technical assistance.
Observed completion or fact E28, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 32, CMS obligations through March 31, 2013]. Shows: Federal obligations recorded by CMS, reported by GAO. Does not show: Outlays, obligations after March 31, 2013, or deliverable acceptance.
"CGI Federal Inc" | "FFE information technology and healthcare.gov" | "$87,997,938"
Observed completion or fact E29, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Printed page 33, Table 4]. Shows: Exact obligated amount through March 31, 2013. Does not show: Whether this is the same instrument as the 2011 award; no task order ID.
R8: What do independent and political overseers say?
In commenting on a draft of this report, the Department of Health and Human Services emphasized the progress it has made in establishing exchanges, and expressed its confidence that exchanges will be open and functioning in every state by October 1, 2013.
Contemporaneous claim E04, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: HHS position as reported by GAO. Does not show: GAO reports the confidence; GAO does not adopt it.
CMS completed many activities necessary to establish FFEs by October 1, 2013, although many remain to be completed and some were behind schedule.
Observed completion or fact E05, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: Independent reviewer found partial progress at report time. Does not show: Which activities finished after the report.
While CMS has met project schedules, several critical tasks, such as final testing with federal and state partners, remain to be completed.
Observed completion or fact E06, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: Observed open item: final partner testing incomplete at report time. Does not show: Whether that testing later finished or passed.
have been delayed by about 2 months, which has delayed training and other activities.
Observed completion or fact E07, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: Observed slippage of about 2 months (vague, no day count possible). Does not show: Exact dates of the delay or whether it was recovered.
Whether these efforts will assure the timely and smooth implementation of the exchanges by October 2013 cannot yet be determined.
Unknown E08, HC1 GAO-13-601, dated [Highlights, page preceding printed page 1]. Shows: The independent reviewer declined to call readiness. Does not show: Any later determination; none is in the record.
As October 1, 2013, approaches, many issues related to readiness, testing, and functionality of exchanges remain. Missed deadlines, delays, and untimely guidance likely will affect areas such as consumer assistance and experience, eligibility accuracy, integration with existing State programs, and interagency coordination.
Contemporaneous claim E30, HC4 House memo, dated . Shows: A dated political oversight concern. Does not show: A measured test result or a GAO finding.
Full evidence ledger
| ID | Status | What the source says | Date and precision | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E01 | Contemporaneous claim | Accounts, online application and plan shopping promised by October | No date (vague) | HC2 CMS release |
| E02 | Contemporaneous claim | HHS says it is on target for Oct. 1, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC2 CMS release |
| E03 | Contemporaneous claim | CMS Administrator quoted on HealthCare.gov enrollment in October | (exact; from source) | HC2 CMS release |
| E04 | Contemporaneous claim | HHS comment on GAO draft: confidence exchanges open by October 1, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Highlights, page preceding printed page 1 |
| E05 | Observed completion or fact | GAO: many activities done, many remain, some behind schedule | (exact; from source) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Highlights, page preceding printed page 1 |
| E06 | Observed completion or fact | GAO: schedules met, but final testing with federal and state partners remained | (exact; from source) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Highlights, page preceding printed page 1 |
| E07 | Observed completion or fact | GAO: some activities delayed about 2 months, delaying training | No date (vague) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Highlights, page preceding printed page 1 |
| E08 | Unknown | GAO: timely and smooth implementation by October 2013 cannot yet be determined | October 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Highlights, page preceding printed page 1 |
| E09 | Planned deadline | Eligibility and enrollment IT: development and testing expected done by October 1, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 21, Eligibility and Enrollment |
| E10 | Planned deadline | Data hub functionality milestone by July 2013 | July 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub |
| E11 | Planned deadline | Data hub full implementation and operational readiness by September 2013 | September 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub |
| E12 | Observed completion or fact | Data hub internal and external testing began October 2012, as planned | October 2012 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub |
| E13 | Planned deadline | SLAs with states (response time, availability) planned July 2013 | July 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub |
| E14 | Planned deadline | SLAs with federal verification partners expected July 2013 | July 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub |
| E15 | Planned deadline | External testing with all federal partners and all states by the beginning of September 2013 | September 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 22 to 24, Data Hub |
| E16 | Planned deadline | Certify qualified health plans by July 31, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 24 to 25, Plan Management |
| E17 | Planned deadline | Finalize and load plan data into the website by September 15, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed pages 24 to 25, Plan Management |
| E18 | Observed completion or fact | Navigator grant announcement delayed until April 9, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 26, Consumer Assistance |
| E19 | Planned deadline | Navigator awards anticipated August 15, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 26, Consumer Assistance |
| E20 | Observed completion or fact | Call center operations contract awarded April 15, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS |
| E21 | Planned deadline | Call center to begin operations by June 2013 | June 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS |
| E22 | Planned deadline | HealthCare.gov relaunch planned June 2013 | June 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS |
| E23 | Contemporaneous claim | CMS release describes a re-launched site and new call center | (exact; from source) | HC2 CMS release |
| E24 | Contemporaneous claim | Call center to assist with applications and plan selection beginning Oct. 1, 2013 | (exact; from quote) | HC2 CMS release |
| E25 | Planned deadline | In-person assistance system planned for the October 2013 initial enrollment date | October 2013 (month only) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 29, Table 2, source: CMS |
| E26 | Contemporaneous claim | CGI: estimated total contract value US$93.7 million; US$55.7 million base awarded | (exact; from source) | HC3 CGI release |
| E27 | Contemporaneous claim | CGI scope: develop and implement the Federal Exchange | (exact; from source) | HC3 CGI release |
| E28 | Observed completion or fact | GAO: CMS obligated about $88 million to CGI Federal through March 31, 2013 | (exact; from section) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 32, CMS obligations through March 31, 2013 |
| E29 | Observed completion or fact | GAO Table 4: CGI Federal Inc, FFE IT and healthcare.gov, $87,997,938 | (exact; from section) | HC1 GAO-13-601, Printed page 33, Table 4 |
| E30 | Contemporaneous claim | Majority staff: readiness, testing and functionality issues remain | (exact; from source) | HC4 House memo |
| E31 | Contemporaneous claim | Majority staff restate October 1, 2013 open and January 1, 2014 coverage | (exact; from quote) | HC4 House memo |
| E32 | Contemporaneous claim | CMS: coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2014 | (exact; from quote) | HC2 CMS release |
Explicit unknowns at the close of September 30, 2013
- R1: No public record of an end-to-end run of account, application, eligibility result and plan selection.
- R2: Whether development and testing finished, and any pass rate. Planned date is opening day itself.
- R3: Whether July SLAs were signed; whether external testing with all federal partners and all states finished in early September; operational readiness status.
- R4: Number of plans certified; whether data loaded by September 15, 2013; any accuracy check of displayed data.
- R5: Navigator awards (anticipated August 15, 2013) not shown; call center application-help readiness; in-person system availability.
- R6: No public load test, expected peak volume, response time target or availability target in any excerpt.
- R7: Task order ID; obligations after March 31, 2013; deliverable acceptance; whether CGI scope covers every component above.
- R8: Any independent readiness determination after June 19, 2013.
Sources
- HC1 GAO-13-601: GAO-13-601 Status of CMS Efforts to Establish Federally Facilitated Health Insurance Exchanges, U.S. GAO, . Scope: Published June 19; findings mostly based on CMS records through early May.
- HC2 CMS release: HHS launches Health Insurance Marketplace educational tools, CMS, . Scope: Press release with CMS launch plans.
- HC3 CGI release: CGI selected to build U.S.-wide competitive health insurance exchange, CGI, . Scope: Contemporaneous contractor award announcement; not a final federal obligation.
- HC4 House memo: PPACA Pulse Check Part 2 majority staff memorandum, House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, . Scope: Majority staff position; not GAO finding.
Written as at the close of September 30, 2013 using only the four public excerpts listed. No later information is used; a planned date that has passed is not treated as completed. The House memo is a majority staff position, not a GAO finding or a measured test. GAO findings rest mostly on CMS records through early May 2013.