The Obama administration released an updated version of its HealthCare.gov website which included several improvements along with one glaring error.
Officials said that the website will not be displaying premiums for next year until November's second week. The season for open enrollment begins on Nov. 15 and lasts until Feb. 15 of next year.
The coverage for enrolled members will begin as early as Jan. 1, 2015.
One of the improvements made by the new HealthCare.gov website is that it will feature a streamlined application process for users that will be signing up for health insurance for the first time. From the whopping 76 screens that the previous version of the website required for new users to go through, the number has been reduced to only 16 screens.
In addition, the website has been developed to be compatible when browsed through mobile devices.
However, there was a very prominent translation error in the Spanish version of the website upon its launch.
The words "get ready," which are the very first words of the largest block of text on the website's home page, was mistakenly translated to "preparase," which is not a Spanish word. The correct translation, for which the website has already updated to use, should be "preparese."
The translation error appeared not just once but three times through the home page of the Spanish version of the website.
While the mistranslation did not affect the functionality of the new HealthCare.gov website in any way, such a prominent mistake makes the website look amateur and not up to par with the burdens it will be bearing as the health insurance portal for the United States.
HealthCare.gov will be where consumers, who are not covered by a job-based health plan, can receive private health insurance that is subsidized by the government. However, the initial launch of the website was marred by massive technical issues.
"Where we are focusing in on is a successful consumer experience," said tech industry executive Andy Slavitt, who was tapped to lead the relaunch of the website by the Health and Human Services department.
One huge challenge for the website in 2015, as said by insurers, is the millions of returning customers that will be facing time constraints as they only have until Dec. 15 to update the financial information on their current accounts.
Returning users have to do so to be able to receive the correct amount of financial assistance with their respective premiums by the start of next year. Users that are not able to update their information will automatically be re-enrolled but will receive the subsidy amount of this year, which could be lower compared to what they could receive next year.
