Longer downtime set at healthcare.gov

The Health and Human Services Department released new data that show that this year’s planned downtime mean the health coverage website will be down roughly 12 percent longer compared with a similar six-week period last year.

The department came under fire after announcing last month that the federal website to buy coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would be unavailable for 12 hours nearly every Sunday during this year’s open-enrollment season.

With the upcoming enrollment season half as long as last year’s, the schedule for the healthcare.gov portal renewed criticism that President Donald Trump’s administration is trying to keep consumers from signing up for 2018 plans. Trump has repeatedly threatened to let the Affordable Care Act implode.

The website is to be unavailable for a total of 60 hours, compared with 53.5 hours last year, between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15.

“This year’s potential maintenance schedule is consistent with last year’s under the previous administration,” department spokesman Matt Lloyd said in an email. That maintenance helps federal agencies ensure the information consumers enter into the system can be verified, he explained. “System downtime will continue to be planned for the lowest-traffic time periods on HealthCare.gov, including Sunday mornings.”