Concerns Raised About Security of Health Website

[Purveyor]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defending President Barack Obama's much-maligned health care overhaul in Congress, his top health official was confronted Wednesday with a government memo raising new security concerns about the trouble-prone website that consumers are using to enroll.

The document, obtained by The Associated Press, shows that administration officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were concerned that a lack of testing posed a potentially "high" security risk for the HealthCare.gov website serving 36 states. It was granted a temporary security certificate so it could operate.

Security issues are a new concern for the troubled HealthCare.gov website. If they cannot be resolved, they could prove to be more serious than the long list of technical problems the administration is trying to address.

"You accepted a risk on behalf of every user...that put their personal financial information at risk," Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., told Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during questioning before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "Amazon would never do this. ProFlowers would never do this. Kayak would never do this. This is completely an unacceptable level of security."

Sebelius countered that the system is secure, even though the site has a temporary certificate, known in government parlance as an "authority to operate." Sebelius said a permanent certificate will only be issued once all security issues are addressed.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HEALTH_CARE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-10-30-13-44-48

[Cali_Democrat]

1. The concern of Republicans Mike Rogers is noted. n/t

[Pretzel_Warrior]

2. keep hoisting the propaganda.

it is getting batted down rather easily the past couple of days. Most Americans realize the GOP are full of shit and don't have their interests at heart.

[jon10]

3. security is something users cant see

which is why what can be seen must appear to be flawless - it's what people judge the rest by

it's true for ANY software project, and it's the way it's always been

[PoliticAverse]

4. There was already an issue found (and fixed). It allowed any account to be hijacked...

http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/29/technology/obamacare-security/

[Tx4obama]

5. VIDEO on the link below

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017155451

[geek tragedy]

6. The Republican propaganda machine keeps on churning nt

[Purveyor]

7. So, this gov't memo discussing security issues doesn't exist and it is all a lie? eom

[geek tragedy]

8. Every website has security issues. The language is pretty droll.

This is the Republicans leaking that document trying to scare people into not getting health insurance.

This is also you trying to help them sabotage the ACA.

[Purveyor]

9. No I'm NOT helping them sabotage ACA. THEY are doing a good fucking job of that without

my help. Wish it was otherwise but it is what it is and it didn't have to happen this way.

Must suck being one trying to put lipstick on this squealing, squirm pig, eh?

[geek tragedy]

10. If your agenda diverges from the House GOP

you have kept that fact very well hidden.

I'm comfortable taking the Democratic side in this debate--that the website will be fixed, as it needs to be, all bad-faith hyperventilating to the contrary.

[spin]

11. Web site security is an important issue. I have no desire to enter sensitive ...

personal information on a site that I can't trust.

Fortunately this is a problem that can be addressed and corrected if indeed the site lacks security.

It's now obvious that the HealthCare.gov website was not ready to be rolled out. That doesn't mean that "Obama Care" is or will be a failure. Still, I would be very hesitant to sign up on the website at this time. I buy a lot of merchandise from various websites but I try to be very careful with the ones I deal with. I only use my credit card for internet purchases.

Earlier this year I did use my credit card to buy some electronic cigarettes from a small website and several days later my bank locked my credit card because of some unusual activity. It seems someone had tried to use my credit card number to purchase about $1200 of merchandise. I set up an alert on my new credit card so I receive an email notification every time it is used to make a purchase.

Having to cancel a credit card and get a new one is one thing but the compromise of my social security number and other vital information could lead to identity theft which I understand is a real pain in the ass.

I feel that in the end we will end up with a far better healthcare system then we had in the past. This should not be all that difficult as we had the most expensive but far from the best healthcare system in the world. Obviously there will be some growing pains in the process but eventually we may find most Americans supporting the change.

I am now on both Social Security and Medicare. I appreciate both. I also have a Medicare Advantage Plan and earlier this year I had a serious operation. I paid no copays to my doctors for the office visits, the testing and the operation and received no bills from the hospital. It would be nice if all citizens could receive such care. Maybe someday this will finally happen.