vital-scans open quality ledger

www.healthcare.gov: Accessibility — week 2026-W35

Automated Accessibility Conformance Report (OpenACR): Download ACR. Machine-readable; compatible with GSA OpenACR tooling. Automated tools find ~⅓ of real barriers — supplement with manual AT testing.

Training priorities

Top WCAG success criteria by pages affected this week. Use these to focus team training on the highest-impact issues.

SCCriterionPagesRulesNotes
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (ARIA) 550 2
1.4.8 WCAG 1.4.8 283 1
2.5.5 WCAG 2.5.5 283 1
2.5.8 WCAG 2.5.8 41 1
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) 10 2

Next 10 actions

Clusters are fingerprinted by normalized selector path + rule id + snippet shape. Rank score = (severity weight × pages affected) / distinct components for the rule. This supersedes the template threshold heuristic while still surfacing it as a validation signal.

Top 10 clustered component fixes for this week.
ClusterSeverityPagesWho it affectsHow to fixEvidenceDecision
ARIA attributes must conform to valid values · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~549 finding(s) on 549 page(s).
XPath / selector: .index-module--search-form--93f38
<form role="search" method="get" action="/search/" class="index-module--search-form--93f38" aria-controls="search-results">
 Critical 549 Without vision, Limited vision, Limited manipulation/strength Fix the ARIA attribute value — it must reference a real id or use an allowed value. pages (CSV)
aria attribute is permitted for element role · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~276 finding(s) on 276 page(s).
XPath / selector: @aria-labelledby="mm-topic-featured"
 Moderate 276 Requires manual testing. Only use ARIA states/properties that are allowed on this element/role. pages (CSV)
Form field label is visible · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~276 finding(s) on 276 page(s).
XPath / selector: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
 Moderate 276 Requires manual testing. See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r61 pages (CSV)
Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~283 finding(s) on 283 page(s).
XPath / selector: <p class="ds-c-usa-banner__header-text">
 Moderate 283 Requires manual testing. See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r73 pages (CSV)
Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~283 finding(s) on 283 page(s).
XPath / selector: <p class="ds-c-usa-banner__action ds-u-align-items--center ds-u-md-display--none ds-u-display--flex">
 Moderate 283 Requires manual testing. See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r73 pages (CSV)
Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~276 finding(s) on 276 page(s).
XPath / selector: <p class="megaMenu-module--featured-heading--d1d6f">
 Moderate 276 Requires manual testing. See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r73 pages (CSV)
Images must have alternative text · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~8 finding(s) on 4 page(s).
XPath / selector: div:nth-child(1) > div > img
<img src="https://gov1.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSiteIntercept/Graphic.php?IM=IM_brriXYMu68CEU3s" style="width: 700px; height: 453px;">
 Critical 4 Without vision, Limited vision, Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability Give every <img> a meaningful alt attribute. Use alt="" only for decorative images so screen readers skip them. pages (CSV)
Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~5 finding(s) on 5 page(s).
XPath / selector: #QSIFeedbackButton-btn > div > div:nth-child(2)
<div>TAKE OUR SURVEY</div>
 Serious 5 Limited vision, Without color perception Increase the contrast between text and its background to at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text). Check both light and dark modes. pages (CSV)
All page content should be contained by landmarks · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~8 finding(s) on 4 page(s).
XPath / selector: .QSIPopOver > div:nth-child(1)
<div tabindex="0" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; position: absolute; z-index: 2000000000; width: 700px; height: 453px; background-color: transparent; border-width: 0px; border-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); bor
 Moderate 4 Requires manual testing. Wrap all page content in landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) so users can navigate by region. pages (CSV)
Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum) · unattributed component
Fix one place, resolve ~15 finding(s) on 15 page(s).
XPath / selector: <a class="megaMenu-module--topic-link--97a32" href="/keep-or-change-plan/">
 Moderate 15 Limited manipulation/strength, Limited reach, Limited vision See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r113 pages (CSV)

Bug reports

8 issue type(s) are shown by default out of 27 total. Prioritized by severity, key pages, WCAG level, and prevalence; use the toggle to show everything.

Overall severity mix: 2 critical, 5 serious, 19 moderate, 1 minor. By WCAG category: 11 WCAG 2.0 A, 2 WCAG 2.0 AA, 1 WCAG 2.1 A, 1 WCAG 2.2 AA, 3 WCAG 2.x AAA, 4 Best Practice, 5 Undetermined. Ordered by severity, key-page impact, WCAG level, and prevalence. Following accessibility bug-reporting best practices. Download: Markdown · JSON (full archive) · JSON (AI diagnostic) · CSV (all findings) · Priority pages CSV · Priority pages JSON.

Automated testing does not establish full WCAG conformance. Findings in the verification lane require manual testing before they are treated as confirmed failures.

Default view shows 8 prioritized issue type(s); 19 more are available if you switch to "Show everything".

5 finding(s) marked "possible duplicate" — Alfa and axe-core both flagged the same WCAG SC on overlapping pages. If they target the same element, the axe-core report is authoritative. Filter the CSV by possible_duplicate_of to see these. Two engines flagging the same barrier reduces the chance of a false positive.

Findings needing review

These findings need manual verification before they can be treated as confirmed failures. Obligation remains visible for each finding.

Critical axe aria-valid-attr-value WCAG 2.0 A ARIA attributes must conform to valid values (WCAG 4.1.2) 549/570 pages · 549 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-02936df9
Pattern ID
VS-af36d20c
Combined ID
VS-02936df9 (pattern VS-af36d20c) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
.index-module--search-form--93f38
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<form role="search" method="get" action="/search/" class="index-module--search-form--93f38" aria-controls="search-results">

Description

ARIA attributes must conform to valid values. Detected by axe-core rule aria-valid-attr-value on 549 of 570 scanned pages (549 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/agent-privacy-act-statement.
  2. Locate the element: .index-module--search-form--93f38
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule aria-valid-attr-value against WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population

Affected pages

…and more — all 549 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Fix the ARIA attribute value — it must reference a real id or use an allowed value.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/aria-valid-attr-value?application=axeAPI

Serious axe color-contrast WCAG 2.0 AA Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds (WCAG 1.4.3) 5/570 pages · 5 instances
Bug ID
VS-5a2a75b1
Pattern ID
VS-be8d563e
Combined ID
VS-5a2a75b1 (pattern VS-be8d563e) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 AA
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
#QSIFeedbackButton-btn > div > div:nth-child(2)
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<div>TAKE OUR SURVEY</div>

Description

Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds. Detected by axe-core rule color-contrast on 5 of 570 scanned pages (5 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/get-answers.
  2. Locate the element: #QSIFeedbackButton-btn > div > div:nth-child(2)
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule color-contrast against WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum).

Impact

Affects Limited vision (2.4%), Without color perception (4.5%).

  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Without color perception — 4.5% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase the contrast between text and its background to at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text). Check both light and dark modes.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/color-contrast?application=axeAPI

Critical axe image-alt WCAG 2.0 A Images must have alternative text (WCAG 1.1.1) 4/570 pages · 8 instances
Bug ID
VS-b92532c2
Pattern ID
VS-9074b4dd
Combined ID
VS-b92532c2 (pattern VS-9074b4dd) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
div:nth-child(1) > div > img
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<img src="https://gov1.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSiteIntercept/Graphic.php?IM=IM_brriXYMu68CEU3s" style="width: 700px; height: 453px;">

Description

Images must have alternative text. Detected by axe-core rule image-alt on 4 of 570 scanned pages (8 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/dependent.
  2. Locate the element: div:nth-child(1) > div > img
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule image-alt against WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give every <img> a meaningful alt attribute. Use alt="" only for decorative images so screen readers skip them.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/image-alt?application=axeAPI

Serious axe definition-list WCAG 2.0 A <dl> elements must only directly contain properly-ordered <dt> and <dd> groups, (WCAG 1.3.1) 2/570 pages · 4 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-5fc7a72b
Pattern ID
VS-4bcaa7bf
Combined ID
VS-5fc7a72b (pattern VS-4bcaa7bf) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
dl:nth-child(4)
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<dl>

Description

<dl> elements must only directly contain properly-ordered <dt> and <dd> groups, . Detected by axe-core rule definition-list on 2 of 570 scanned pages (4 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/getting-medicaid-chip.
  2. Locate the element: dl:nth-child(4)
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule definition-list against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/definition-list?application=axeAPI

Serious axe list WCAG 2.0 A <ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/570 pages · 1 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-2c7d8471
Pattern ID
VS-a0bdbdf6
Combined ID
VS-2c7d8471 (pattern VS-a0bdbdf6) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
.jumpTool-module--jump-list--99f14
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<ul class="jumpTool-module--jump-list--99f14 ds-c-list--bare">

Description

<ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements. Detected by axe-core rule list on 1 of 570 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary.
  2. Locate the element: .jumpTool-module--jump-list--99f14
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule list against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use <ul>/<ol> with only <li> children for lists; don't fake lists with <div>s.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/list?application=axeAPI

Serious axe link-in-text-block WCAG 2.0 A Links must be distinguishable without relying on color (WCAG 1.4.1) 1/570 pages · 1 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-219e0619
Pattern ID
VS-8ade3360
Combined ID
VS-219e0619 (pattern VS-8ade3360) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
.ds-u-padding--0
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<a class="ds-u-text-decoration--none ds-u-padding--0 ds-u-font-weight--normal" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/qualifying-life-event/" aria-label="L

Description

Links must be distinguishable without relying on color. Detected by axe-core rule link-in-text-block on 1 of 570 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/see-plans.
  2. Locate the element: .ds-u-padding--0
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule link-in-text-block against WCAG 1.4.1 Use of Color.

Impact

Affects Without color perception (4.5%), Limited vision (2.4%).

  • Without color perception — 4.5% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/link-in-text-block?application=axeAPI

Serious axe td-headers-attr WCAG 2.0 A Table cell headers attributes must refer to other <th> elements in the same tabl (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/570 pages · 1 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-b2aec309
Pattern ID
VS-07ba3b17
Combined ID
VS-b2aec309 (pattern VS-07ba3b17) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
table
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<table class="ds-c-table ds-c-table--striped ds-c-sm-table--stacked">

Description

Table cell headers attributes must refer to other <th> elements in the same tabl. Detected by axe-core rule td-headers-attr on 1 of 570 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/learn-more/hra-guide.
  2. Locate the element: table
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule td-headers-attr against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Associate data cells with their headers correctly using headers/id or scope.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/td-headers-attr?application=axeAPI

Moderate alfa sia-r113 WCAG 2.2 AA Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum) (WCAG 2.5.8) 41/570 pages · 41 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-21ddeb62
Pattern ID
VS-179ad9b3
Combined ID
VS-21ddeb62 (pattern VS-179ad9b3) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.2 AA
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.2)
XPath / selector
<a class="megaMenu-module--topic-link--97a32" href="/keep-or-change-plan/">
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

Description

Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r113 on 41 of 570 scanned pages (41 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/generic-drugs.
  2. Locate the element: <a class="megaMenu-module--topic-link--97a32" href="/keep-or-change-plan/">
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r113 against WCAG 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum).

Impact

Affects Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%), Limited reach (2.0%), Limited vision (2.4%).

  • Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population
  • Limited reach — 2.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population

Affected pages

…and more — all 41 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r113

Moderate alfa sia-r111 WCAG 2.x AAA Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) (WCAG 2.5.5) 283/570 pages · 11801 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-04317833
Pattern ID
VS-cb53cc4d
Combined ID
VS-04317833 (pattern VS-cb53cc4d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation
aspirational
Handling
review
WCAG SC
2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.1)
XPath / selector
<a href="https://www.cuidadodesalud.gov/es/glossary/generic-drugs/" aria-label="CuidadoDeSalud.gov en Español" class="hc-c-logged-out-links__link sl-c-locale sl_swap" data-listener-attached="true">
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

Description

Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r111 on 283 of 570 scanned pages (11801 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/generic-drugs.
  2. Locate the element: <a href="https://www.cuidadodesalud.gov/es/glossary/generic-drugs/" aria-label="CuidadoDeSalud.gov en Español" class="hc-c-logged-out-links__link sl-c-locale sl_swap" data-listener-attached="true">
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r111 against WCAG 2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced).

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 283 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r111

Moderate alfa sia-r73 WCAG 2.x AAA Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 (WCAG 1.4.8) 283/570 pages · 1712 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-60a6dbb6
Pattern ID
VS-2208081b
Combined ID
VS-60a6dbb6 (pattern VS-2208081b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation
aspirational
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.4.8 Visual Presentation (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
<p class="ds-c-usa-banner__header-text">
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

Description

Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r73 on 283 of 570 scanned pages (1712 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/generic-drugs.
  2. Locate the element: <p class="ds-c-usa-banner__header-text">
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r73 against WCAG 1.4.8 Visual Presentation.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 283 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r73

Moderate alfa sia-r18 Undetermined aria attribute is permitted for element role (WCAG criterion undetermined) 276/570 pages · 276 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-17a37550
Pattern ID
VS-e05344b9
Combined ID
VS-17a37550 (pattern VS-e05344b9) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Undetermined
Obligation
unmapped
Handling
review
WCAG SC
undetermined
XPath / selector
@aria-labelledby="mm-topic-featured"
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

Description

aria attribute is permitted for element role. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r18 on 276 of 570 scanned pages (276 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/generic-drugs.
  2. Locate the element: @aria-labelledby="mm-topic-featured"
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r18.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 276 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Only use ARIA states/properties that are allowed on this element/role.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r18

Moderate alfa sia-r61 Undetermined Form field label is visible (WCAG criterion undetermined) 276/570 pages · 276 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-3345c062
Pattern ID
VS-7118fead
Combined ID
VS-3345c062 (pattern VS-7118fead) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Undetermined
Obligation
unmapped
Handling
review
WCAG SC
undetermined
XPath / selector
{"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

Description

Form field label is visible. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r61 on 276 of 570 scanned pages (276 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/generic-drugs.
  2. Locate the element: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r61.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 276 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r61

Moderate axe heading-order Best Practice Heading levels should only increase by one (WCAG criterion undetermined) 12/570 pages · 12 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-bae8371e
Pattern ID
VS-d25f622d
Combined ID
VS-bae8371e (pattern VS-d25f622d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Best Practice
Obligation
advisory
Handling
review
WCAG SC
Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
XPath / selector
h4:nth-child(1)
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<h4>Apply &amp; enroll in SHOP insurance at any time</h4>

Description

Heading levels should only increase by one. Detected by axe-core rule heading-order on 12 of 570 scanned pages (12 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/get-answers.
  2. Locate the element: h4:nth-child(1)
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule heading-order.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use heading levels in order (h1 → h2 → h3) without skipping; structure, not size.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/heading-order?application=axeAPI

Moderate axe landmark-unique Best Practice Landmarks should have a unique role or role/label/title (i.e. accessible name) c (WCAG criterion undetermined) 10/570 pages · 10 instances Likely template
Bug ID
VS-4f99ee73
Pattern ID
VS-8806389c
Combined ID
VS-4f99ee73 (pattern VS-8806389c) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Best Practice
Obligation
advisory
Handling
review
WCAG SC
Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
XPath / selector
#box-content--3269fd380
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<div class="ds-c-alert ds-c-alert--hide-icon ds-c-alert--lightweight" role="region" aria-labelledby="box-content--3269fd380__a11y-label" id="box-content--3269fd380">

Description

Landmarks should have a unique role or role/label/title (i.e. accessible name) c. Detected by axe-core rule landmark-unique on 10 of 570 scanned pages (10 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/verify-information/documents-and-deadlines.
  2. Locate the element: #box-content--3269fd380
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule landmark-unique.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: When a landmark role/type repeats (e.g. two <nav>s), give each a distinct accessible name with aria-label or aria-labelledby (e.g. "Primary" and "Footer" navigation) so screen-reader users can tell them apart.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/landmark-unique?application=axeAPI

Moderate alfa sia-r66 WCAG 2.x AAA Text has enhanced contrast (WCAG 1.4.6) 5/570 pages · 29 instances
Bug ID
VS-f53c9c5e
Pattern ID
VS-646b1e0b
Combined ID
VS-f53c9c5e (pattern VS-646b1e0b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation
aspirational
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
text: "TAKE OUR SURVEY"
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

Description

Text has enhanced contrast. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r66 on 5 of 570 scanned pages (29 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/get-answers.
  2. Locate the element: text: "TAKE OUR SURVEY"
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r66 against WCAG 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced).

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase text contrast to meet WCAG AAA (7:1).

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r66

Moderate alfa sia-r69 WCAG 2.0 AA Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) (WCAG 1.4.3) 5/570 pages · 29 instances · possible duplicate
Bug ID
VS-3f8443d2
Pattern ID
VS-f7e99f4b
Combined ID
VS-3f8443d2 (pattern VS-f7e99f4b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 AA
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
text: "TAKE OUR SURVEY"
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)
Possible duplicate
Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-5a2a75b1 (pattern VS-be8d563e). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r69 on 5 of 570 scanned pages (29 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/get-answers.
  2. Locate the element: text: "TAKE OUR SURVEY"
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r69 against WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum).

Impact

Affects Limited vision (2.4%), Without color perception (4.5%).

  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Without color perception — 4.5% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase text contrast to meet WCAG AA (4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text).

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r69

Moderate axe region Best Practice All page content should be contained by landmarks (WCAG criterion undetermined) 4/570 pages · 8 instances
Bug ID
VS-641f6940
Pattern ID
VS-f18df681
Combined ID
VS-641f6940 (pattern VS-f18df681) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Best Practice
Obligation
advisory
Handling
review
WCAG SC
Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
XPath / selector
.QSIPopOver > div:nth-child(1)
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<div tabindex="0" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; position: absolute; z-index: 2000000000; width: 700px; height: 453px; background-color: transparent; border-width: 0px; border-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); bor

Description

All page content should be contained by landmarks. Detected by axe-core rule region on 4 of 570 scanned pages (8 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/dependent.
  2. Locate the element: .QSIPopOver > div:nth-child(1)
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule region.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Wrap all page content in landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) so users can navigate by region.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/region?application=axeAPI

Minor axe empty-heading Best Practice Headings should not be empty (WCAG criterion undetermined) 4/570 pages · 4 instances
Bug ID
VS-2cccfa20
Pattern ID
VS-0066c67d
Combined ID
VS-2cccfa20 (pattern VS-0066c67d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Best Practice
Obligation
advisory
Handling
review
WCAG SC
Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
XPath / selector
.index-module--content--6c4f4 > h3
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Description

Headings should not be empty. Detected by axe-core rule empty-heading on 4 of 570 scanned pages (4 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/choose-a-plan/your-total-costs.
  2. Locate the element: .index-module--content--6c4f4 > h3
  3. Confirm the axe-core finding for rule empty-heading.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Remove empty headings or give them text. Don't use heading tags for spacing.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/empty-heading?application=axeAPI

Moderate alfa sia-r53 Undetermined Headings are structured hierarchically (WCAG criterion undetermined) 3/570 pages · 3 instances
Bug ID
VS-e415c3b4
Pattern ID
VS-f054f4a4
Combined ID
VS-e415c3b4 (pattern VS-f054f4a4) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Undetermined
Obligation
unmapped
Handling
review
WCAG SC
undetermined
XPath / selector
<h4>
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (12 wk)

Description

Headings are structured hierarchically. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r53 on 3 of 570 scanned pages (3 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/get-answers.
  2. Locate the element: <h4>
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r53.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use headings in a logical, non-skipping order.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r53

Moderate alfa sia-r2 WCAG 2.0 A Image has accessible name (WCAG 1.1.1) 2/570 pages · 4 instances · possible duplicate Likely content
Bug ID
VS-cfbeafd0
Pattern ID
VS-a24eaa8c
Combined ID
VS-cfbeafd0 (pattern VS-a24eaa8c) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
<img src="https://gov1.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSiteIntercept/Graphic.php?IM=IM_brriXYMu68CEU3s" style="width: 700px; height: 453px;">
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (10 wk)
Possible duplicate
Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-b92532c2 (pattern VS-9074b4dd). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Image has accessible name. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r2 on 2 of 570 scanned pages (4 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/dependent.
  2. Locate the element: <img src="https://gov1.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSiteIntercept/Graphic.php?IM=IM_brriXYMu68CEU3s" style="width: 700px; height: 453px;">
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r2 against WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give every <img> an accessible name (alt text), or alt="" if purely decorative.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r2

Moderate alfa sia-r45 WCAG 2.0 A aria-hidden element is not exposed to assistive technology (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/570 pages · 8 instances · possible duplicate Likely content
Bug ID
VS-3c90d707
Pattern ID
VS-9207ed51
Combined ID
VS-3c90d707 (pattern VS-9207ed51) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
@headers="header-cell-0-0:table--9f894b3a0"
History
first seen 2026-W28, last seen 2026-W35 (4 wk)
Possible duplicate
Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-2c7d8471 (pattern VS-a0bdbdf6). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

aria-hidden element is not exposed to assistive technology. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r45 on 1 of 570 scanned pages (8 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/learn-more/hra-guide.
  2. Locate the element: @headers="header-cell-0-0:table--9f894b3a0"
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r45 against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r45

Moderate alfa sia-r77 WCAG 2.0 A Table cell has header (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/570 pages · 8 instances · possible duplicate Likely content
Bug ID
VS-152a6561
Pattern ID
VS-3f067795
Combined ID
VS-152a6561 (pattern VS-3f067795) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
<td class="ds-u-text-align--left" role="cell" headers="header-cell-0-0:table--9f894b3a0" data-title=" ">
History
first seen 2026-W28, last seen 2026-W35 (4 wk)
Possible duplicate
Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-2c7d8471 (pattern VS-a0bdbdf6). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Table cell has header. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r77 on 1 of 570 scanned pages (8 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/learn-more/hra-guide.
  2. Locate the element: <td class="ds-u-text-align--left" role="cell" headers="header-cell-0-0:table--9f894b3a0" data-title=" ">
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r77 against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r77

Moderate alfa sia-r17 WCAG 2.0 A aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements (WCAG 4.1.2) 1/570 pages · 3 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-05f49a25
Pattern ID
VS-f6cf30ff
Combined ID
VS-05f49a25 (pattern VS-f6cf30ff) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
<div aria-labelledby="employers" aria-hidden="true" class="ds-c-tabs__panel fourTab-module--content--b9237" id="employers">
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (11 wk)

Description

aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r17 on 1 of 570 scanned pages (3 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/get-answers.
  2. Locate the element: <div aria-labelledby="employers" aria-hidden="true" class="ds-c-tabs__panel fourTab-module--content--b9237" id="employers">
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r17 against WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r17

Moderate alfa sia-r14 WCAG 2.1 A Accessible name of link or button matches visible label (WCAG 2.5.3) 1/570 pages · 2 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-1d8d9bf2
Pattern ID
VS-f7dba940
Combined ID
VS-1d8d9bf2 (pattern VS-f7dba940) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.1 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A, WCAG 2.1)
XPath / selector
<button type="button" aria-label="Label describing the subject of the tooltip" aria-describedby="tooltip-trigger--36" class="ds-c-tooltip__trigger ds-c-tooltip__trigger-icon ds-u-display--inline">
History
first seen 2026-W26, last seen 2026-W35 (8 wk)

Description

Accessible name of link or button matches visible label. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r14 on 1 of 570 scanned pages (2 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/shop-calculators-taxcredit.
  2. Locate the element: <button type="button" aria-label="Label describing the subject of the tooltip" aria-describedby="tooltip-trigger--36" class="ds-c-tooltip__trigger ds-c-tooltip__trigger-icon ds-u-display--inline">
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r14 against WCAG 2.5.3 Label in Name.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Without speech (0.5%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Without speech — 0.5% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r14

Moderate alfa sia-r64 WCAG 2.0 A Element has required owned roles (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/570 pages · 1 instances · possible duplicate Likely content
Bug ID
VS-c31cc115
Pattern ID
VS-3c632d31
Combined ID
VS-c31cc115 (pattern VS-3c632d31) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation
required
Handling
review
WCAG SC
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
XPath / selector
<h2>
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (11 wk)
Possible duplicate
Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-2c7d8471 (pattern VS-a0bdbdf6). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Element has required owned roles. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r64 on 1 of 570 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/choose-a-plan/catastrophic-health-plans.
  2. Locate the element: <h2>
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r64 against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

  • Without vision — 1.0% of population
  • Limited vision — 2.4% of population
  • Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r64

Moderate alfa sia-r57 Undetermined Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1/570 pages · 1 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-6a9a1e60
Pattern ID
VS-c18be945
Combined ID
VS-6a9a1e60 (pattern VS-c18be945) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Undetermined
Obligation
unmapped
Handling
review
WCAG SC
undetermined
XPath / selector
text: "TAKE OUR SURVEY"
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (11 wk)

Description

Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r57 on 1 of 570 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/small-businesses/get-answers.
  2. Locate the element: text: "TAKE OUR SURVEY"
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r57.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r57

Moderate alfa sia-r78 Undetermined Table header has scope (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1/570 pages · 1 instances Likely content
Bug ID
VS-a01400bc
Pattern ID
VS-2cd767ca
Combined ID
VS-a01400bc (pattern VS-2cd767ca) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category
Undetermined
Obligation
unmapped
Handling
review
WCAG SC
undetermined
XPath / selector
<h3>
History
first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W35 (9 wk)

Description

Table header has scope. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r78 on 1 of 570 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open https://www.healthcare.gov/sitemap.
  2. Locate the element: <h3>
  3. Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r78.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r78

Deque axe-core findings

Rule-level axe-core summary (11 rule type(s))

Each failing rule links out to the axe-core documentation. For full element-level detail including HTML snippets and XPaths, see the bug reports above.

axe-core rules failing in 2026-W35, by pages affected
RuleImpactPages affectedInstancesExample pagesAll affected
ARIA attributes must conform to valid values [aria-valid-attr-value] critical 549 549 /agent-privacy-act-statement
/glossary/vision-or-vision-coverage
/small-businesses/health-care-law-and-businesses/how-aca-affects-businesses		 all 549 pages (CSV)
Heading levels should only increase by one [heading-order] moderate 12 12 /small-businesses/get-answers
/health-plan-information
/using-this-site		 all 12 pages (CSV)
Landmarks should have a unique role or role/label/title (i.e. accessible name) combination [landmark-unique] moderate 10 10 /verify-information/documents-and-deadlines
/have-job-based-coverage/change-to-marketplace-plan
/preventive-care-women		 all 10 pages (CSV)
Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds [color-contrast] serious 5 5 /small-businesses/get-answers
/contact-us
/topics		 all 5 pages (CSV)
Images must have alternative text [image-alt] critical 4 8 /glossary/dependent
/glossary/tax-filing-requirement
/glossary/qualifying-health-coverage		 all 4 pages (CSV)
All page content should be contained by landmarks [region] moderate 4 8 /glossary/dependent
/glossary/tax-filing-requirement
/glossary/qualifying-health-coverage		 all 4 pages (CSV)
Headings should not be empty [empty-heading] minor 4 4 /choose-a-plan/your-total-costs
/taxes-2023/no-health-coverage
/taxes-2023/other-health-coverage		 all 4 pages (CSV)
<dl> elements must only directly contain properly-ordered <dt> and <dd> groups, <script>, <template> or <div> elements [definition-list] serious 2 4 /medicaid-chip/getting-medicaid-chip
/medicaid-chip		 all 2 pages (CSV)
Table cell headers attributes must refer to other <th> elements in the same table [td-headers-attr] serious 1 1 /small-businesses/learn-more/hra-guide all 1 pages (CSV)
<ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements [list] serious 1 1 /glossary all 1 pages (CSV)
Links must be distinguishable without relying on color [link-in-text-block] serious 1 1 /see-plans all 1 pages (CSV)

Siteimprove Alfa findings

Rule-level Alfa summary (16 rule type(s))

Rule-level summary from Siteimprove Alfa (W3C ACT-based). Findings that overlap with axe-core on the same WCAG success criterion are noted as possible duplicates in the bug reports above.

Alfa rules failing in 2026-W35, by pages affected
RuleImpactPages affectedInstancesExample pagesAll affected
Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) [sia-r111] n/a 283 11801 /glossary/generic-drugs
/glossary/tty
/unemployed/cobra-coverage		 all 283 pages (CSV)
Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 [sia-r73] n/a 283 1712 /glossary/generic-drugs
/glossary/tty
/unemployed/cobra-coverage		 all 283 pages (CSV)
aria attribute is permitted for element role [sia-r18] n/a 276 276 /glossary/generic-drugs
/glossary/tty
/unemployed/cobra-coverage		 all 276 pages (CSV)
Form field label is visible [sia-r61] n/a 276 276 /glossary/generic-drugs
/glossary/tty
/unemployed/cobra-coverage		 all 276 pages (CSV)
Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum) [sia-r113] n/a 41 41 /glossary/generic-drugs
/glossary/tty
/glossary/health-reimbursement-account-hra		 all 41 pages (CSV)
Text has enhanced contrast [sia-r66] n/a 5 29 /small-businesses/get-answers
/get-coverage
/small-businesses/other-coverage		 all 5 pages (CSV)
Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) [sia-r69] n/a 5 29 /small-businesses/get-answers
/get-coverage
/small-businesses/other-coverage		 all 5 pages (CSV)
Headings are structured hierarchically [sia-r53] n/a 3 3 /small-businesses/get-answers
/sep-list
/shop-health-plan-information		 all 3 pages (CSV)
Image has accessible name [sia-r2] n/a 2 4 /glossary/dependent
/taxes-2020/other-health-coverage		 all 2 pages (CSV)
aria-hidden element is not exposed to assistive technology [sia-r45] n/a 1 8 /small-businesses/learn-more/hra-guide all 1 pages (CSV)
Table cell has header [sia-r77] n/a 1 8 /small-businesses/learn-more/hra-guide all 1 pages (CSV)
aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements [sia-r17] n/a 1 3 /small-businesses/get-answers all 1 pages (CSV)
Accessible name of link or button matches visible label [sia-r14] n/a 1 2 /shop-calculators-taxcredit all 1 pages (CSV)
Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard [sia-r57] n/a 1 1 /small-businesses/get-answers all 1 pages (CSV)
Table header has scope [sia-r78] n/a 1 1 /sitemap all 1 pages (CSV)
Element has required owned roles [sia-r64] n/a 1 1 /choose-a-plan/catastrophic-health-plans all 1 pages (CSV)

Unique accessibility issues (axe + Alfa consolidated)

axe and Alfa both implement W3C ACT rules, so the same issue is often caught by both. These are deduplicated by ACT rule and page, so a shared finding counts once (1774 raw engine findings → 1770 unique).

Unique issues (rule × page)
1770
Caught by both engines
4 highest confidence
axe only
589
Alfa only
1177
3 rule type(s) caught by both engines — highest confidence

Two independent ACT-rule implementations (Deque axe-core and Siteimprove Alfa) flagged the same issue on the same pages. Agreement between separate engines is strong evidence the barrier is real, not a single-tool false positive — the best place to start.

Rules flagged by both axe-core and Alfa in 2026-W35, by pages affected.
IssuePagesRule references
Headings should not be empty4axe empty-heading · Alfa sia-r64 · ACT ffd0e9
Images must have alternative text4axe image-alt · Alfa sia-r2 · ACT 23a2a8
Table cell headers attributes must refer to other <th> elements in the same table1axe td-headers-attr · Alfa sia-r45 · ACT a25f45