More healthcare.gov incompetence

[scott]

Well all know that zip codes are 5 digits (or 9 digits in Zip +4). Most of us know that some of those zip codes start with zero.

How many programmers and data analysts do you think should know that a zip code that starts with zero should include the actual zero in the data?


Go to this link and sort on zip code. See if you can find where "Franklin, NH" is.

https://data.healthcare.gov/dataset/Navigators/qyne-xyvd

Here's a hint, it's not at 03235. According to the crack team of experts at HHS, the zip code for Franklin, NH is 3235. That means that some unqualified government employee/contractor simply copied data and pasted it into the database and the programmers didn't build in any data validation.

This is really a very rookie mistake. So how is this system supposed to work if they can't find such simple errors?



This isn't a "glitch," this is bold-faced rank amateur incompetence.

[ReinMan]

Looks like they figured out the Format([ZipCode],"00000") feature. The short ones are now padded.

They violated the first fundamental rule of software development: Don't develop what you don't have to.

I'm certain that 80% of this stuff could have been assembled from off-the-shelf functional modules, without the need for original development.
(Except to satisfy some manager's need to put his personal stamp on the work...)

Hell, I'll bet there are dozens of templates for US address storage that are downloadable for FREE.

[scott]

Looks like they figured out the Format([ZipCode],"00000") feature. The short ones are now padded.

They violated the first fundamental rule of software development: Don't develop what you don't have to.

I'm certain that 80% of this stuff could have been assembled from off-the-shelf functional modules, without the need for original development.
(Except to satisfy some manager's need to put his personal stamp on the work...)

Hell, I'll bet there are dozens of templates for US address storage that are downloadable for FREE.

The main issue isn't that there were some errors, that always happens. The problem is that the errors in architecture, design, and data are so numerous and so amateur.

It's almost as if a group of climatologist wrote this code. :P

[Adam]

Rein beat me to it.

It's almost as if a group of climatologist wrote this code. :P

[Gingersnap]

I'm trying to find out what the line in Vegas is on "This doesn't work. We need need single-payer".

[Gramps]

I'm trying to find out what the line in Vegas is on "This doesn't work. We need need single-payer".