Dive Brief:
- A new report suggests that if Accenture can't fix the back-end issues on HealthCare.gov by mid-March, it could send insurers into a tailspin and cause problems for the entire healthcare industry.
- If Accenture doesn't fix the back-end system on the site on time, it could expose payers to inaccurate forecasting by risk mitigation programs. These risk mitigation programs pay insurers more for enrolling sick, expensive consumers.
- Not only that, if Accenture doesn't resolve issues with paying consumer subsidies to payers, insurers could face "financial risk; potentially leading to their default in disrupting continued services and coverage to consumers," according to one federal document.
Dive Insight:
Wow, talk about a high-pressure assignment. Accenture must fix bugs in the back end system for HealthCare.gov quickly and accurately or all hell could break loose. To lessen the risk somewhat, HHS is implementing a workaround to make sure its automated payment system will be ready in the next few months. And it's got a stopgap system in place that would start paying insurers next week for subsidies they're already owed. But if I were an insurer, I'd find that pretty unsatisfying by itself.