HealthCare.gov Programmed with a Queue – That’s Right, It’s a Website with a Line

by Duane Lester | November 26, 2013 5:24 pm

I thought I’d seen exactly how bad the government was online when I went to IRS.gov and saw this:

Unreal. Only the federal government would create a website to apply online and make it Monday – Friday, 7 am-10pm. pic.twitter.com/etbtqZiD3h[1]

— Duane Lester (@Bodhi1) November 16, 2013[2]

But I underestimated the government’s ability to do online services poorly, because now they’re actually bragging about how you can wait in line at Healthcare.gov:[3]

“The other important development that’s gotten a little bit less attention is they have also put in place a queuing system so that if there are more than 50,000 people trying to use the website, individuals can choose to receive an email from CMS when the traffic on the website has been reduced, and that email will basically give them a link, and if you click on the link you can jump to the front of the line to access the website.

“So that would be a way for us to better manage the flow of traffic to the website. It also will significantly enhance the consumer experience on the website,” Earnest said.

You know you’re doing online wrong when your significant enhancement is a digital “Please take a number” email.

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