Maryland’s Health Exchange: Need Health Insurance? Call the Pottery Hot-Line!

“Critics said Saturday that the latest problem to hit Maryland's online health exchange — an incorrect help-line number that directed hundreds of callers to a Seattle-based pottery business — was another symptom of the poorly operating website.

"You can't make this stuff up, and I guess if it wasn't so serious, it could be funny," said Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley, a Frederick County Republican.

The website mistakenly listed a 1-800 number that sent some Marylanders attempting to pick a health insurance provider to Seattle Pottery Supply instead of Maryland's call center. The number appears under the words "State Advantage" and "call a representative." The correct number for help shows up multiple times on the site before the incorrect number appears.

A state spokeswoman said Saturday that she had no update on efforts to fix the problem. Maryland officials were unaware of the problem until contacted Friday by The Baltimore Sun.

"They really just need to get their act together. It's just a continual excuse-making," said Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Baltimore County Republican.” - Critics say wrong number is latest failure of Md. health exchange, Baltimore sun.com, 01/18/2014

Link to the entire article appears below:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-md-health-exchange-folo-20140118,0,2367412.story