>>was walking around before ACA without catastrophic medical insurance, then I really don't have much sympathy for that person. Governments can't legislate basic common sense.

Yes, but you made up that false scenario.

In the good old days, if you got seriously sick you'd lose your job, then your work health insurance... then your house. Almost all of the middle class bankruptcies affected people who had comprehensive health insurance until they got sick.

It's as if you insured yourselves against fire for years but then one day there's a fire... and the insurer cancels your policy to avoid paying out.

The ACA took care of it- so in this case, government certainly did legislate basic common sense.

Another example: a fellow in his 50s with full insurance through his employer, develops a chronic illness. Then a lucrative new job is offered at another firm- but this fellow dare not leave his current employ, because of the risk of "pre-existing condition" looming over any future policy. Then the firm downsizes and the fellow realizes he's about to lose his job anyway. Notwithstanding partial responses like COBRA: for a few short years, such dilemmas were no more because of the ACA.