A number of news outlets have provided coverage of a recent report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) shows that the security testing of the data services hub, a cornerstone of the new Health Insurance Exchanges (also known as Marketplaces) is behind schedule. Although HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and other agency heads continue to reassure the Obama Administration, Congress and the public that the Exchanges will be ready to go live on October 1, 2013, this new report casts doubt on the security of Exchange functions and may foreshadow an eleventh hour delay.
Bloomberg News reports that testing of the data services hub wasn’t scheduled to begin until July 5, 2013, more than a month behind schedule. The data services hub, built by QSSI, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group Inc., must undergo this necessary testing so it can be certified as to the security of the tax information and other data that it will transmit between the Exchanges and other federal agencies, pursuant to a 2002 federal law requiring a “security authorization package” before this data services hub or any other federal information system can open. A final decision on the certification is expected on September 30, 2013 – the day before the Exchanges are set to begin processing consumer applications for health insurance.
A Reuters article notes that industry experts, like Deven McGraw at the non-profit Center for Democracy and Technology, predict that the Exchanges may open with security flaws, such as an increased risk of identity theft. McGraw notes that there is no margin of error if the data services hub is to be certified as secure by CMS’ chief information officer in time for the October 1, 2013 deadline. McGraw also said “the worst case scenario” of not meeting the IT security deadline is that the government will not be able to bring the data hub online on Oct. 1. If that happens, consumers will still be able to apply for health insurance through the Exchanges starting beginning October 1, 2013. However, they will not be told if they have been accepted or whether they are eligible for premium tax credits to help pay their premiums.
This article from Government Health IT also addresses the OIG audit report. The Washington Post Wonkblog has also reported on this issue and chronicles various other delays that have occurred as the major implementation date of January 1, 2014 draws near. To view the official report from the HHS Office of Inspector General, click here.
