Insurers in Wisconsin are being either patient or silent about the problems that have rendered the new federal health insurance marketplace largely inoperable.
"It's not the point in time where we need to hit the panic button," said Marty Anderson, director of marketing for consumer products at Security Health Plan in Marshfield.
Three weeks after its launch in Wisconsin and other states, the federal marketplace for all practical purposes isn't working, and some experts estimate the problems could take weeks or even months to fix.
"It's very frustrating," said Tanya Hudson, a benefits coordinator at Milwaukee Health Services, a community health center.
Milwaukee Health Services is among the organizations that trained staff to help people sign up for coverage.
People want information, Hudson said, "and there isn't any real information."
President Barack Obama on Monday acknowledged the problems that marred the start of the marketplaces. "Nobody is more frustrated than I am," Obama said.
The president said his administration was doing "everything we can possibly do" to get the website up and running. He did not provide details on the problems or how long they may take to fix.
Obama urged opponents of the law to support it. "It's time for folks to stop rooting for its failure," he said.
The problems have been more extensive than expected, particularly after the administration's repeated assurances that the marketplaces would be ready on Oct. 1.
The New York Times reported earlier this month that officials were aware months ago that there were deep flaws in the $400 million system.
The congressional standoff that shut down the federal government and brought the United States within a day of a potential default on the federal debt overshadowed the disastrous launch of the marketplaces.
After the showdown ended last week, Republicans turned their attention to the marketplaces and pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for information.
Sebelius declined a request to appear before the House Energy & Commerce Committee on Thursday.
"The refusal of Secretary Sebelius to appear at this week's hearing shows that this administration is still not prepared to be straight with the American people," House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement.
The marketplaces are designed to sell health plans aimed at people who don't get affordable health benefits through an employer and who may be eligible for subsidies in the form of federal tax credits.
The Obama administration hopes 7 million people will sign up for coverage the first year. By comparison, an estimated 154 million people get coverage through an employer.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin declined to comment on the problems. Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative did not return calls. Both are selling health plans on the marketplace in the Milwaukee area and eastern Wisconsin.
WPS Health Insurance, which is selling health plans on the marketplace through its Arise subsidiary, has had about 20 people enroll, said spokeswoman Ellen Foley.
The company is taking applications by phone but will have to contact the people later. "It's just going to take a lot more time than we thought," Foley said.
John Molina, chief financial officer of Molina Healthcare Inc., which is selling plans on the marketplace, took a long-term perspective. "We look at this process in years," he said, adding that it took decades to get a law passed that will expand access to health care. "We are happy we are at the starting gate," he said.
The Obama administration has repeatedly stressed there is strong interest in the health plans. Several insurers confirmed that.
"We've have more interest than we would have anticipated," said Anderson of Security Health.
The health insurer has had only 55 enrollments from the marketplace in the past three weeks.
Anderson said people are being patient. "They are willing to wait until they can get on the exchange and enroll," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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