State officials said they were voluntarily taking the website down as a “proactive step” to enhance security and usability and not as a response to a security threat.
However, records show CMS had told Vermont Health Connect in June the exchange could be cut off from the federal data hub if certain security issues were not resolved, according to the report.
CMS had reportedly told Vermont Health Connect the exchange received poor scores in two quarterly reviews, warranting a warning for potential disconnection if issues were not resolved by Sept. 8, according to the report.
Officials allegedly decided to disconnect the website on their own knowing they could not meet the Sept. 8 deadline to address the security threats, according to the report.
Lawrence Miller, the state’s chief of healthcare reform, said in the report they did not inform the public of the potential security threats because CMS said doing so could encourage hackers to access the site.
“I have no discomfort with the fact that we did not put that out there based on our conversations with CMS on how to handle these things,” he said in the report.
Officials still maintain the website will be up and running again before the open enrollment period begins Nov. 15.
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