Vermont Business Magazine The Shumlin administration today announced that Vermont Health Connect has shut down its website temporarily to complete ongoing operational, technical, performance and security improvements necessary for a well-functioning customer experience when the next open enrollment period begins in November. The site is scheduled to be offline until November 15. The state made the decision to take down the website after consultation with its federal partners at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The state has engaged its new Vermont Health Connect vendor, Optum, to implement site improvements. Optum has deep experience assisting states and the federal government with exchange website improvements. The state has also implemented a new chain of command for VHC, which it said will streamline its structure and remove VHC from Department of Vermont Health Access oversight, which also means CommissionerMark Larson will no longer lead VHC.
Optum is already on the ground working with Vermont Health Connect to make needed improvements, and the State expects the website will be restored to full, improved operation before the start of open enrollment. Meanwhile, Vermont Health Connect will continue to provide coverage and services to Vermonters, and will work to minimize disruptions to those who rely on Vermont Health Connect for health insurance.
Governor Peter Shumlin (left) and interim Secretary of the Agency of Human Services Harry Chen announced Tuesday that the Vermont Health Connect website will be offline for repairs. Photo by Morgan True/VTDigger
“As all Vermonters know, we’ve had disappointment after disappointment with the Vermont Health Connect website,” said Governor Peter Shumlin. “I have been very frustrated that the website remains incomplete. Bringing down the site now to make improvements with our new partner Optum is the best choice to deliver a well-functioning, secure website for customers by the open enrollment period that begins November 15.”
During the period the VHC website is offline, enrolled Vermonters will still be covered and will be able to complete payment by mail and additional payment options. Vermonters can contact Vermont Health Connect’s call center, as well. Though most Vermonters who seek 2014 coverage are already enrolled, those who qualify to enroll in a 2014 plan prior to the 2015 open enrollment will also be served by the Vermont Health Connect call center while the website remains down. The State’s new vendor Optum has substantial experience assisting other states with increased call center support, and Optum and the State are working closely together to minimize disruptions in services as these improvement measures are undertaken.
Human Services Secretary Harry Chen and Lawrence Miller, the Governor’s Senior Advisor and Chief of Health Care Reform, said consumers are keenly aware of the VHC website problems that have complicated enrollment. Chen noted that the State has been working to complete remaining items that improve function and security of the website for customers. After consultation with federal partners at CMS, he and Lawrence Miller made the recommendation to the Governor over the weekend to shut down VHC temporarily to finish improvements now to help prepare for a successful open enrollment for Vermonters in November. The Governor agreed, ordering the site closed down Monday night, while work to upgrade Vermont Health Connect will continue.
The governor also announced that he will implement Chen’s recommendation to remove Vermont Health Connect oversight from the Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) to better align leadership of the VHC project across departments and agencies. Chen will institute a leadership structure that requires all department and agency resources responsible for portions of VHC to report through a single chain of command. The governor’s senior advisor Lawrence Miller will assume operational leadership of VHC, reporting directly to Chen and the governor. Meanwhile, Commissioner Mark Larson will continue to run DVHA’s many other programs and responsibilities, and will remain a resource to VHC under the new leadership structure.
Miller emphasized that this decision was not motivated by discovery of any compromise of confidential consumer information, but said that the state continually assesses security and other operational needs. Miller said that taking the site down to complete much-needed improvements and enhance security protocols prior to open enrollment is the right course, particularly in light of recent highly publicized breaches of other sites.
Vermont has spent more than $100 million implementing the Affordable Care Act, and has a federal earmark of $171 million to complete its exchange.
Governor Shumlin and Lawrence Miller. VTDigger file photo.
“Establishing this online health insurance network has been challenging from the start, to say the least,” Miller said. “It is critical that we take advantage of this period of relatively low-volume use to improve Vermont Health Connect’s operations, technology and security, and turn around the difficulties Vermonters have experienced with our website.
Optum, which has helped develop, operate and improve health exchange websites both at the federal and state level, is finishing its assessment of the website’s needed improvements, and is already implementing its work plan.
Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott, who has long called for upgrading the system, issued the following statement about the decision to take Vermont Health Connect offline until November 15: “Today’s announcement from Governor Peter Shumlin that Vermont Health Connect has been disconnected – although disappointing and indicative of continuing problems – is both appropriate and long overdue. I believe we should use this time to truly assess our options. As I have said many times over the last year, it's my belief we should transition to the much simpler and fully functional federal exchange that 27 other states have successfully used, and that seven more are working with in partnership with the government. New Hampshire is an example of a state that chose to go with the federal exchange, at a total cost of $8 million. Here in Vermont, we’ve spent upwards of $70 million on a system which has created very real problems for thousands of Vermonters. As I said as recently as Friday at the Tunbridge Fair, I want the exchange to work. But I think it’s time to face reality and admit we need to stop trying to “get it right” with Vermont Health Connect and do the right thing for Vermonters.”
Senator Patrick Leahy issued the following statement in support of Shumlin's action on VHC: “Vermont has been, and continues to be, a leader in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. I am glad that Governor Shumlin is taking this critical step to fix Vermont Health Connect to ensure that it works as intended to help thousands of Vermonters gain access to quality health insurance. He is absolutely right that technology offers us benefits but also additional challenges when it comes to health care, and making these systems in Vermont and everywhere work as they should, and making them work well, must always be a high priority. I am hopeful that by taking the website offline temporarily, these problems can be addressed quickly, and the site can resume operations. As a Vermonter, I am always proud that our state ranks first or second in the nation in health and well-being, and I want it to stay that way.”
VERY TOP PHOTO: Advocate Peter Sterling, Commissioner Mark Larson and Lawrence Miller hold a press conference October 1, 2013, the day the VHC website went live. The website has now been taken down until November 15 and Mark Larson is no longer leading VHC. Miller will now lead the VHC effort, answering to Secretary Chen and Governor Shumlin.