# Why is Blue Cross Blue Shield website only available during business hours? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259 "2013-12-02T01:59:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![weef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@weef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/weef)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/1 "2013-12-02T01:59:32Z")
This one is mind boggling. I have to pay my monthly health insurance premiums on the BCBS website and I can only do it during business hours. I’ve never seen this with any other commerce website I’ve used. When I tried to log in tonight (Sunday night) I’m presented with this: Sorry, Blue Access for Employers is not available right now… Blue Access for Employers is not available at this time. Please check our Hours of Availability and return soon. Hours of Availability Monday - Friday 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday 6.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. (CT) Sundays & Holidays Closed Why would this website only be available during business hours for accepting payments? I’m assuming there is some manual, human intervention that must take place for each user’s transaction. If so this is really ridiculous because their website should be able to take payments 24/7 and even on holidays. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/2 "2013-12-02T02:44:57Z")
Their [hamsters have unionized](http://i.imgur.com/y1iEwAk.jpg)? And BCBS isn’t willing to pay them the overtime to run 24/7. Let us hope this never happens here at SDMB! ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/3 "2013-12-02T03:15:08Z")
In what universe is 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. “business hours”? I agree that your better-designed and -hosted websites require less maintenance than this, but they’re only down for 6-1/2 hours a day. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/4 "2013-12-02T04:08:15Z")
Some web sites owned by Orthodox Jews don’t accept orders during the Sabbath. B&H Photo is the most well known, with no orders processed [between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/SHcalendar.jsp) or during any of the High Holidays. I suspect the Blue Cross situation is due to insurance regulations. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/5 "2013-12-02T15:25:06Z")
10 bucks says they have the website payments directly integrated with the mainframe, and the hours that you can’t do it are hours when the mainframe is running overnight batch jobs, or is potentially available for maintenance. Edit to add, which is to say, probably running at least some portion of the payment process via Cobol on IBM big iron. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/6 "2013-12-02T15:30:28Z")
Are you referring to the national association, [bcbs.com](http://bcbs.com), or one of the individual state’s bcbs? ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/7 "2013-12-02T21:14:14Z")
> [@weef](#): > > Sorry, **Blue Access for Employers** is not available right now… > **Blue Access for Employers** is not available at this time. Please check our Hours of Availability and return soon. Bolding mine. Are you accessing the right website? From the message in the OP, it would appear you are trying to log into a website set up for **Employers** , not individuals. Why they would have special hours for Employers? I could speculate it is due to regulations, or that transferring a large sum of money electronically would need to be done when there are people there in case there is a glitch (presuming large sums would be paid by employer groups). ---
**Author:** ![weef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@weef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/weef)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/8 "2013-12-04T02:14:02Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Bolding mine. Are you accessing the right website? From the message in the OP, it would appear you are trying to log into a website set up for **Employers** , not individuals. > > Why they would have special hours for Employers? I could speculate it is due to regulations, or that transferring a large sum of money electronically would need to be done when there are people there in case there is a glitch (presuming large sums would be paid by employer groups). Yes I was trying to access the Employers section to pay my group health insurance plan. Kind of pain when trying to access their website at all different hours. I envision a sign taped next to their office exit that says “please remember to turn off the web server on your way out”. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/9 "2013-12-04T03:01:28Z")
I think it is likely that they run a pay-to-view porn site during off hours. Gotta make some money somehow. Bob ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-blue-cross-blue-shield-website-only-available-during-business-hours/675259/10 "2013-12-04T03:11:44Z")
> [@urban1a](#): > > I think it is likely that they run a pay-to-view porn site during off hours. Gotta make some money somehow. > > Bob Damn Obamacare!™