Report: Complex MNsure website causes confusion
MNsure's use of four unique and independent software products for its online insurance marketplace created an "especially complex" website that can confuse consumers and make navigating the site challenging, concludes an independent consultant's report.
All four products need "to be coordinated and in harmony" for new developments and ongoing maintenance, Deloitte Consulting said in documents released before MNsure's board meeting Wednesday.
The latest assessment piggybacks on a report Deloitte released in June, which found nearly two-thirds of MNsure's components or functions, either didn't work properly or didn't exist.
• More: Contractor's report slams MNsure weaknesses, readiness
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Deloitte consultants recommend that MNsure focus on 30 priorities. They include tasks such as payment processing and updating files to reflect a consumer's life changes, such as having a baby, getting married, or divorced. Those changes can profoundly affect an individual's ability to qualify for free or low cost government insurance and premium tax credits.
MNsure hired Deloitte in April at a cost of nearly $5 million to advise leaders on how the site could operate better in the short-term and move forward in future years.
Adding to MNsure's already long to-do list before fall is an additional task from last year — renewing policies for Minnesotans who enrolled in commercial coverage as well as government-sponsored health programs such as Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare.
However, the report had some good news. It said the MNsure system appears to have "adequate horsepower" from a hardware perspective to meet near term processing demands and did not identify any major issues or risks with security or privacy.