Colorado man's dog accidentally gets healthcare account

FORT COLLINS, Colo., Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A Colorado man using the state's healthcare exchange under the Affordable Care Act said a mix-up led to an account being opened in his dog's name.

Shane Smith, of Fort Collins, said he used the Connect for Health Colorado's phone service to sign up for a health insurance account after his previous plan was canceled due to ACA rules, and he later received a letter informing him an account had been opened in the name of Baxter, his 14-year-old Yorkshire terrier, KDVR-TV, Denver, reported Wednesday.

Smith said the mix-up likely resulted from the questions asked by the representative he spoke to on the phone.

"There was some kind of code or something, so I gave them my dog's name," Smith said. "They must have just put it in the wrong slot or something."

Smith said the incident does not give him a high impression of the ACA.

"It was pretty funny. Typical Obamacare, that they would insure your dog by mistake," Smith said.

"There's been a lot of headaches that's come from all of this. All the phone calls. All the nonsense. They ended up giving me good coverage I think, but who knows if they're going to take it away," Smith said. "As long as Baxter's covered that's all the counts."

Smith said officials were able to help him correct the mistake.

Connect for Health Colorado said in a statement its system relies on information provided by customers and does not "make up a name when generating a letter. As with any new system, mistakes are possible and when notified by customers, we work quickly to resolve the situation."