From the Start, Signs of Trouble at Health Portal

Unbloodybelievable. Or perhaps not, given that it is a .gov IT project.

Deadline after deadline was missed. The biggest contractor, CGI Federal, was awarded its $94 million contract in December 2011. But the government was so slow in issuing specifications that the firm did not start writing software code until this spring, according to people familiar with the process. As late as the last week of September, officials were still changing features of the Web site, HealthCare.gov, and debating whether consumers should be required to register and create password-protected accounts before they could shop for health plans.

What seems to me to be the critical bit:

One highly unusual decision, reached early in the project, proved critical: the Medicare and Medicaid agency assumed the role of project quarterback, responsible for making sure each separately designed database and piece of software worked with the others, instead of assigning that task to a lead contractor.

They seem to have not realized that this is a major engineering task in its own.

I believe the United States should have universal health care. That said, this looks like yet another government technology fiasco. My favorite technology disaster story is the Denver International Airport automated baggage handling system that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and never worked. I wish I could have those responsible for building healthcare.gov examine that case study.