Despite receiving at least $305 million in federal taxpayer funding, and despite launching an aggressive advertising campaign featuring a psychedelic sun and a farmer aloft on a carrot, the Oregon Obamacare exchange has enrolled zero (0) people. The director of the state exchange says he has given up hope that the website will ever function and has told state residents to fill out hard copy paper applications.

As reported by the Portland Business Journal:

“I no longer use the word 'hope' that something is going to work,” Cover Oregon Executive Director Rocky King told the members of the legislature’s Joint Committee On Legislative Audits, Information Management and Technology. “I am planning to do a full manual system from here through March 31. If the IT comes up, that’s icing on the cake, but I’m not depending on that.”

The exchange is urging Oregonians to use the web site to compare plans and then file paper applications, King said.

Courtesy of taxpayers nationwide, the state has received numerous CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) grants totaling over $305 million:

Federal Taxpayer Grant Amount

Date Awarded

Ostensible Purpose

$1,000,000

Sept. 30, 2010

“State planning grant.”

$48,096,307

Feb. 2011

“Exchange Early Information Technology Innovation Grant”

$8,969,600

Aug. 12, 2011

“Grant Level One”

$6,682,701

May 16, 2012

“Grant Level One”

$2,195,000

Sept. 27, 2012

“Administrative Supplement Award”

$226,442,074

Jan. 17, 2013

“Establishment Grant Level Two”

$11,820,905

Jan. 17, 2013

“Administrative Supplement Award”

Total: $305,206,587

The state of Oregon and Covered Oregon would like to thank the American taxpayer for their contribution.