From my perspective, the biggest issue with the ACA was the reliance on and over emphasis of the web interface. Creating a web frontend to a system with so many complex backend interfaces was fraught with peril.
Of course, the web access is essential. This is the 21st Century, after all.
However, a parallel system of good old 20th century paper forms should have been prepared as well. There are plenty of citizens - particularly older ones and poorer ones - that do not have the luxury or familiarity with a whiz bang high speed wi-fi enabled gizmo.
Putting so many eggs in the web site basket, left the project exposed to an enormous technical and public relations risk. Easy enough in hindsight, of course.
But in my opinion, it is very similar to electronic voting. What is the rush? Why do these critical processes have to be done in a femtosecond? It is more important to be reliable, accurate and traceable than it is to be fast.
With voting, why not take a few days or even a week to count the ballots? The results are literally life and death. The same with ACA coverage. What is the rush?
Postcards could have been put in every postoffice. Citizens could fill one out to register for ACA - not necessarily select their plan but to get into the system. Then actual sign ups for coverage could have been done via navigators, by phone, by mail-in form or even, yes, the intertubes.
Oh well, what's done is done. It will be ironed out and work well enough. After all, there are still huge profits to be made in the health insurance racket - especially when the government is requiring every citizen to be a customer. The insurance industry is cancelling and undermining ACA not to get rid of it, but to get rid of some of the oversight.
Meanwhile, we are left to dream of a national health system and continue to be jealous of every other civilized country.
Thanks - Mittens.