Sebelius Seeks Probe of Flawed Health Care Rollout

'The launch of HealthCare.gov was flawed and simply unacceptable'

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The Obama administration’s top health care official on Wednesday formally requested an independent probe of how her department botched the rollout of the health insurance exchange website at the center of the new reform law.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asked the department’s inspector general to investigate the rollout of HealthCare.gov in a post on her HHS blog. “The launch of HealthCare.gov was flawed and simply unacceptable,” she said. “I believe strongly in the need for accountability, and in the importance of being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

The post said Sebelius is asking Inspector General Dan Levinson to review the acquisition process, the overall program management and the performances of the contractors who were hired to provide the myriad parts that make up the online federal health care exchange. In addition to asking for the inspector general’s investigation, Sebelius is also making administrative moves, including appointing a full time risk officer and adjusting procurement rules and procedures.

The announcements comes as Sebelius is scheduled to return to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to appear before a House health subcommittee to answer questions about the rollout of the health care law.