Data Security Added to Worries About Website

Concerns about the security of personal information on the HealthCare.gov website are getting closer attention in Washington, potentially adding to the list of problems with the new federal health-insurance exchange.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, led by Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.), on Thursday subpoenaed information about the website from the Obama administration, including on whether the site was well-protected from hackers.

“The evidence is mounting that the website did not go through proper testing, including critical security testing, and that the administration ignored repeated warnings from contractors about ongoing problems,” said Mr. Issa, chairman of the committee.

Critics are citing a government memo from Sept. 27 that showed final security tests of HealthCare.gov weren’t completed because the site wasn’t ready in time.

HealthCare.gov is an online portal where consumers in 36 states can enter personal information, including Social Security numbers and income data, to enroll in health insurance. The site has been balky for many people and has suffered outages.

Obama administration officials say the site is secure and contractors are doing regular testing to ensure the personal information is protected.

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