>>The health insurance industry in the US has incredibly deep pockets from decades of fleecing the American public. That allows them to purchase politicians at will. It has taken until now, however, for them to purchase enough of the government at one time to be able to extort the American people with complete support of, and enforced by, the US federal government. With no price control whatsoever! Organized crime never had it so good!
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>It amazes me a little how much the-sky-is-falling is going on. We all agree, or at least I think we should, that the current system is a mess. Let's try something different and find out.

Pardon my ignorance, I'm out of it for a couple of years now, and even before that I had the republican insurance (zero cost, stay healthy). I don't understand what's so different? The insurances were fleecing the public while they had at least the yes/no choice. Now the choice is gone, it's a yes/fine (i.e. pay or get fined), and the only difference I know of is that the insurance can't refuse you based on preexisting condition and one more that I can't remember. That doesn't stop them skinning the customers - and they now get more customers than ever. Pretty much like those selling water in Sahara, when there's no other water available. You must buy, period. I don't see what makes this better.