PERSPECTIVE-HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has authorized the department’s inspector general to conduct an investigation into the causes of the ACA website’s rollout debacle. She cited the need for “accountability” and emphasized “the importance of being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”
Why does she need the IG to determine accountability?
The whole investigation can be accomplished if Sebelius simply stands in front of a mirror. After all, she does bear a resemblance to the Evil Queen in Snow White. Just a coincidence, I’m sure.
As the executive with the responsibility for implementing ACA, arguably the most far-reaching legislation in a few decades, Sebelius should have left little to chance. She also should have been frank in her discussions with the president as to the major systemic problems encountered in the development of the website.
Any executive tasked with overseeing the rollout of a major system knows the importance of maintaining frequent contact with the developers and assigned staff. Keeping upstream management informed is equally critical. The results indicate that any such communication was either nonexistent or ineffective.
Familiarity with the subject matter is also essential – Sebelius’ background includes eight years as the Insurance Commissioner for the State of Kansas, but that’s a long way from possessing operational experience.
Even Ezekiel Emmanuel, the architect of ACA, admitted that the rollout should have been assigned to a legitimate CEO.
Sebelius was clearly out of her league. She can blame the programmers and software engineers until the cows come home, or until exchange enrollees pay their premiums, but I can assure you that many of the problems encountered could have been avoided by diligent executive management.
Sebelius did not need to know code to do her job. I have headed accounting system implementations for major organizations. I have almost zero experience in programming beyond mastering Excel. But I always insisted on proof that objectives were being achieved and that obstacles were escalated to appropriate levels of management. Rolling out an inferior product would have been unacceptable and grounds for termination.
President Obama’s failure to remove Sebelius is an admission that accountability is not required in his administration.
Sebelius’ request for an investigation is nothing more than a charade, an insulting one to the taxpayers at that.
(Paul Hatfield is a CPA and serves as Treasurer for the Neighborhood Council Valley Village. He blogs at Village to Village, contributes to CityWatch and can be reached at: [email protected]) –cw