Picture of Shannon Bruner and her husbandLee’s Summit, December 16, 2013 – The problems with the Health Care Benefit Exchanges are far more serious than just the Federal Government’s site not accepting enough applications.  The Washington Healthplanfinder – the official ACA-Compliant Health Benefit Exchange for the State of Washing – has experienced some issues with Early Withdrawals.

These are health insurance policies so the amounts are not insignificant.  In fact, for most families that need the exchanges the most, the costs are a very large part of their budget.  One family (see the video) requested a December 24th payment date.  This would allow the family to buy gifts for Christmas and still meet their need to have Health Insurance.

The problem, as the reporter, Elisa Hahn tells the story, is that the Health Exchange reached into the families bank account – as authorized – but it did it the first week in December on the 9th, and not the last week as requested.  The family had their bills paid and then the large amount was taken from their bank account: Leaving them deep in the hole.

If you’ve ever done it, you know that the overdraft charges are huge, they are costly, and they help dig a very deep hole from which you find it very difficult to get yourself out.  This family is suffering through this as they approach Christmas.

People who are not experts in the Health Field should not be involved in it.  Thus the government should have stayed out.

People who are not experts in automatic bank draft collections should not be involved in such transactions because mistakes cost people money.  The Exchanges are not known for the proper processing of automatic payments.

When you put together politicians to guide the development of a site, that involves health care – something the politicians know little about – and then payment methods – again something that politician’s know little about – the you have a recipe for a Christmas Disaster.

So, is President Obama, past Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Majority Leader Harry Reid directly responsible for this?  No.  They are not directly responsible since Washington set up their own exchange.  But, is the Affordable Care Act the reason these people lost their Christmas?  Yes, because the improperly specified and defined exchanges, that were poorly tested, and that are reaching into people’s wallets had no appropriate, knowledgeable, and ultimately accountable (with their jobs) people in charge.

In the end, this is truly a Christmas Sorry!

Respectfully Submitted
The Lee’s Summit Conservative

p.s., Send me a good Affordable Care Act story – from a recognizable source – and I’ll post it.