Monday, November 12, 2012

MCPP: State spends $645,560 setting up Obamacare health insurance exchange.

This post is submitted by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy

The Department of Insurance contracted with a web developer to create and enhance the ObamaCare insurance exchange website.  The exchange is being funded through a $3.8 million federal grant, which (surprise!) has led to inexplicably large payments for web development.  The money is going to Vimo, a California operator of exchange websites.  How much is the Department of Insurance paying for basic website functionality?


·         59,000 to “add pizzazz” to the exchange website (p. 18)
·         $17,000 to add rotating pictures to the top of the exchange website homepage (p. 18/19)
·         $53,000 for an online calendar with a print function (p. 19)
·         $30,000 for a glossary with a search function (p. 20)
·         $14,000 to increase the font size and change font style (p. 20)

The developer claims it will take 170 man-hours to add rotating pictures.  It will take 530 hours to create an online calendar.  They claim that changing font size will take 140 hours – yet every web browser already has the power to increase font size with the click of a button.

In all, the Department of Insurance will spend $371,000 on enhancements alone for Mike Chaney’s health insurance exchange website.  Even if some of these bids come in under budget, the Department of Insurance has already paid a substantial amount to Vimo:

FY 2011:   $60,644
FY 2012: $418,716
FY 2013: $166,200
TOTAL:   $645,560

The first contract is the original contract.  The second contract is the amended version. 

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                   

The Mississippi Center for Public Policy purchased distribution rights on Jackson Jambalaya.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've wondered what we've been paying for Chaney's jumbotron ads at Scott Field on Saturdays.

Anonymous said...

$59,000 is a bargain. Who doesn't like pizzazz?

Anonymous said...

Time to open up the store and hand them the keys. Let the anarchy begin. Conservatives need to gain power only AFTER the rioting happens and not before. Otherwise we'll be blamed for the riots.

Anonymous said...

Not only are the charges outrageous but the fact that Chaney isn't doing business with Mississippi companies is intolerable.

Anonymous said...

Most that comment on here blindly voted for Chaney since he had the "R" by his name and was white, voted twice for him, in 2007 and 2011. So get a life, losers.

Anonymous said...

Most that comment on here blindly voted for Chaney ...

Damn that is biting coming from an anonymous nobody such as yourself.

KaptKangaroo said...

Trolls are up lately.

Too bad they choose to post anonymously.

meople said...

breaking news anonymous blogger attacks another anonymous blooger for being...well...anonymous. predicition:said anonymous blogger will be correcting other bloggers grammar on the 5pm report.

Anonymous said...

You have to pay these web development software companies a lot upfront and then pay yearly maintenance...kingfish does the same thing (smile)

Anonymous said...

Let me just note that any problems with this spending is because of the Republican insurance commissioner, and not the Affordable Care Act.

Anonymous said...

Agreed 2:32. Chaney and Obamacare are both bad.

Anonymous said...

I have been in the insurance business for over 40 years, Mike Chaney in his first year did more for the industry by promoting competition.
Dale had his pet insurers and his pet insurance agencies.

Do you guys remember the BCBS scandle of funneling him money?
Do you remember the FBI investing his fundraising?

Kingfish said...

Haven't done that in a couple of years.

Anonymous said...

So KaptKangaroo is your real name and trolls don't ever have screen names?

Kingfish said...

Oh, Hi Shadow. Nice try.

Mystery Guest 300 said...

I demand a PEER review of Mike Chaney's spending -- all of i



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