As the American public clamors to solidify (and often clarify) its healthcare situation, numerous complaints are pouring in over the Covered California exchange, and one Latina lawmaker is looking to make some changes.

According to the office of California State Senator Norma Torres, 53 percent of the phone calls made to Covered California are abandoned, and less than 1 percent are answered within the first 30 seconds. Torres is also disappointed in low enrollment numbers for Latinos and not having enough certified counselors.

"Accountability starts at the top," Torres said in a written statement. "After almost three years on the job, it is indisputable this board of directors needs additional expertise to provide oversight of staff in areas where improvement is needed."

There are currently five members of the board of directors. Torres wants to up that number to seven, and hopes to be able to recruit some additional expertise in the areas of health insurance marketing, information technology and consumer services.

Torres outlined her proposed changes in a legislative bill, SB 972. "My bill does not call for a new board of directors," Torres said according to California Healthline. "It calls for making changes to the composition of the board to better address the needs of consumers."

"I am trying to help Covered California evolve so it is capable of overcoming its challenges. Helping to get more experts on the board with experience solving the problems the organization is currently facing is a simple, common-sense solution and in the best interest of consumers."

On Wednesday, Covered California also announced that its Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) portal was being shut down to allow for a series of redesigns, though paper applications were still in use.

"The SHOP portal was not meeting the needs of agents or small employers and needed improvements," said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee in a statement. "Taking the portal offline will not affect the paper application process, which has been the preferred enrollment method traditionally used by insurance agents in the small-group market."