Can anyone provide any hints on healthcare.gov with Illinois?

[DebJ]

My sister has just tried again, unsuccessfully, with a TENTH application through healthcare.gov.
She has been on the phone numerous times, sent emails, worked with an insurance agent, and
still can't get anywhere. The system keeps crashing when the person on the other end of the
phone is using it.

Originally she was told they were allowed reduced premiums and a $661 a month tax credit.
Around application number 6, she was told she would have to send proof of income. Well,
her husband retired late last year, and their income has dropped dramatically and will be
down dramatically for 2014, but they demanded proof of income from 2012, and then they
tell her she gets a $66 a month credit.
Currently, she is uninsured herself and son, and she has an ankle injury from November that
she can't afford to treat. Her husband has COBRA insurance that went through the roof and
they can barely pay that.

I advised her to contact her Congressional Reps. We looked them up; two are Repukes; the
other is Durbin. I told her to try Senator Durbin, as he would be motivated to help her if possible,
while the other two would just want to use her story to prove the failure of national health care.

If anyone has had any experience with this and come out ahead and could possibly give a hint,
we'd greatly appreciate it!
Thanks.