Former Microsoft Exec To Lead HealthCare.gov

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Former Microsoft Exec To Lead HealthCare.gov

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday December 17, 2013 @08:45AM from the blue-screen-of-actual-death dept.

Antipater writes "NBCNews reports that Kurt DelBene, former head of Microsoft's Office division, will take over operations of Healthcare.gov on Wednesday. DelBene will replace Jeffrey Zients, who stepped in to lead the team fixing the health insurance website when it crashed and burned on its Oct. 1 launch. Zients is set to take over next month as senior White House economic adviser from Gene Sperling.'"

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New meaning to blue screen of death? by xobyte · 2013-12-17 08:46 · Score: 5, Funny

My healthcare BSOD...
1. Re:New meaning to blue screen of death? by roc97007 · 2013-12-17 09:05 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  > Those who complained about their canceled plans actually got better plans - less cost and more coverage.
  Um, really? We didn't. Our plans (wife and I) were canceled because the company didn't want to pay the cadillac tax. For a replacement, we get higher cost, and much higher deductible. The strategy, as I understand it, is that you are supposed to live off your FSA for the first five months or so before your coverage actually starts paying for stuff. This is a definition of "better plans" of which I am unaware.
  
  --
  Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
2. Re:New meaning to blue screen of death? by Archangel+Michael · 2013-12-17 09:42 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  No, it is ELITIST bullshit that they are spewing. Making blanket judgements based on what someone like Ezekiel Emanuel told them to say. It doesn't matter if it is true or not, they believe it, because they were told by someone who knows better than anyone else. And it is "better" depending on who you ask, just don't ask the patient, doctor, health insurance company or anyone immediately involved in your health care (lack of) choices. It IS better for the DNC as it provides a nice new entitlement to ensnare unsuspecting weak individuals into a lifelong servitude of voting for the candidates the Party Dictates they vote for.
  Welcome to Soviet Amerika!
  
  --
  Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
3. Re:New meaning to blue screen of death? by mspohr · 2013-12-17 10:31 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  So... blame your cheapass company for dropping your insurance coverage.
  They didn't have to buy you a "cadillac" policy... they could have bought you a regular policy but they are using the "blame it on Obamacare" excuse for screwing you.
  
  --
  I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
4. Re:New meaning to blue screen of death? by Venotar · 2013-12-17 11:36 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  The socialists in Canada pay almost $4500 per capita for healthcare, or more than 11% of GDP. Because of the waste inherent in socialist systems, we should not be surprised that healthcare costs in Canada are 7th highest on the planet, yet for all this outrageous expense, they are only tied for 4th in life expectancy and something like 24th in infant mortality
  I'm sorry - how is 7th highest cost for 4th highest life expetancy not a deal?
  If life expectancy was less than 7th, I might see your point. Beyond that, the US already spends 17.2% of it's GDP on healthcare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_the_United_States) and has an infant mortality rate around 34th in the world , so moving to an infant mortality rate of 24th in the world for a cost of 11% of GDP is a huge improvement for your southern neighbors.
5. Re:New meaning to blue screen of death? by mspohr · 2013-12-17 14:45 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  There are lots of anecdotal stories floating around and being touted as "evidence" for and against ACA.
  FWIT, my personal experience is that for my family, I can get better insurance (better list of doctors and hospitals, lower deductibles, lower cost) under ACA than I had before under my old policy which was cancelled because it was not ACA compliant. YMMV
  It will take at least a few months to get the actual results sorted out.
  A lot of the people who had very cheap insurance which was cancelled had "hospital gown" policies (which means that their ass wasn't covered). Others could prove that they were "healthy" and could show that they didn't need insurance.
  The big win is for people who couldn't get insurance or who had very expensive policies. They will be able to get affordable insurance under ACA since the scumbag insurance companies can't refuse to insure them. Also, a lot of people who have very low income and couldn't afford insurance can now get subsidies and can buy insurance... a big win for them.
  
  --
  I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
6. Re:New meaning to blue screen of death? by vux984 · 2013-12-17 16:35 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  A lot of the people who had very cheap insurance which was cancelled had "hospital gown" policies (which means that their ass wasn't covered). Others could prove that they were "healthy" and could show that they didn't need insurance.
  Bingo.
  The main 'losers' under the ACA are:
  a) people who didn't actually have coverage; are being forced into plans that actually cover things.
  b) lowest risk, healthiest people -- they got better rates before because the insurance industry figured they wouldn't have to pay out on them. Now with more (and less healthy) people being added to the system, the rates are rising slightly to accomodate the overall higher insurance costs to the industry.
  But insuring all those extra people is a net gain. At least in my books. And I'm speaking as someone still comfortably in the first half of my life, with no significant health concerns, who makes a decent living -- aka someone the insurers love to insure.
  The big win is for people who couldn't get insurance or who had very expensive policies. They will be able to get affordable insurance under ACA since the scumbag insurance companies can't refuse to insure them.
  Exactly. But its inevitable that there will be some "losers" at the other end of the spectrum whose rates are going up to offset this. But as I said before... its net gain for society.
Clippy? by KoshClassic · 2013-12-17 08:48 · Score: 4, Funny

Will the web site feature a seemingly-friendly, but obnoxious-as-hell talking paper clip that pops up whenever its unwanted?

--
Understanding is a three edged sword. - Ambassador Kosh Naranek, Babylon 5
Polilitical Link by jasnw · 2013-12-17 08:50 · Score: 5, Informative

He is the spouse (husband, I assume) of Congressperson Karen DelBene (D-WA), also an ex-MS person.
1. Re:Polilitical Link by bluefoxlucid · 2013-12-17 08:59 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  We don't say "Congressperson" anymore because that implies these are people, and not soulless monsters. The correct term is "Congresswench".
  
  --
  Support my political activism on Patreon.
2. Re:Polilitical Link by DrData99 · 2013-12-17 09:05 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Close. It's Suzan DelBene.http://delbene.house.gov/
3. Re:Polilitical Link by MouseTheLuckyDog · 2013-12-17 09:12 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  What did critters ever do to you?
Meet Sticky, the helpful animated syringe by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-17 08:50 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh please oh please oh please
1. Re:Meet Sticky, the helpful animated syringe by Bodhammer · 2013-12-17 09:32 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  More like Tubey, the fully articulated enema nozzle...
  
  --
  "I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
Your rate offers will be ready in by wagr · 2013-12-17 08:59 · Score: 5, Funny

45 seconds
2 minutes
15 seconds
30 seconds
microsoft exec plus the US Government... by roc97007 · 2013-12-17 09:00 · Score: 4, Funny

I'm trying to think how this could end well.

--
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
1. Re:microsoft exec plus the US Government... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · 2013-12-17 09:08 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Oh, that's easy . . . just look at Nokia and Steve Elop! The Microsoft exec will run Obamacare into bankruptcy, then Microsoft will buy Obamacare cheap for all the patents and IP . . . and then Microsoft will own our healthcare, as well as our desktops!
  
  --
  Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
Healthcare.gov will be fixed in 2 weeks by GoCrazy · 2013-12-17 09:07 · Score: 5, Funny

I mean 10 seconds. Err, 3 months. No 5 days.

--
No beer and no TV make Homer something something
Looks Like You're Trying to Sign Up for Obamacare! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-12-17 09:10 · Score: 3, Funny

Would you Like to:
[N/A] Keep your existing health plan?
[ ] Automatically get shunted into Medicaid?
[ ] Pay through the nose for a plan with a higher deductible, a higher co-pay, and higher monthly fees?
[ ] Appeal your death panel ruling?
Re:Looks Like You're Trying to Sign Up for Obamaca by mi · 2013-12-17 10:21 · Score: 4, Interesting

[N/A] Keep your existing health plan?
When Obama said: "If you like your plan you can keep it," — he meant to say: "If I like your plan, you can keep it." The millions, whose plans aren't, in Obama's omniscient and benevolent opinion, good enough — because they don't cover, say, obesity counseling, or contraception, or gender-changes — are out of luck...

There is no corresponding correction to "death panels" because those are imaginary.
No, they aren't. There always are patients, who could be kept alive at high costs but without much, if any, prospect of recovering. When and whether to "pull the plug" on them is currently up to the patients and/or their families. Once the government becomes the single payer — which is what Obama and you dream about — the decision will be the government's. It is unlikely, that it will be a single shirley sharrod deciding — more like a panel of them. "Death panel" is a perfectly apt term describing the outfit...
If the IRS is already used today to suppress opposition, why wouldn't the next charismatic demagogue in the White House use these panels to an even graver effect? No, not even against the opposition figures themselves — too obvious...
"Hey, if you'd like your mother to be approved for surgery, rather than referred to End of Life Counseling, do not talk about this and that in your next public appearance. Do we understand each other?"

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In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.