>>>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.

Points up a serious issue that clouds and muddles the whole debate
- conflating insurance with a medical care plan.
- most people don't understand the difference.
- I am sure that you are not most people.

Real insurance is a hedge against extraordinary and unlikely expenses - like a house fire or catastrophic illness.

Using insurance to cover day to day expenses like a normal doctor visit guarantees high and rising costs.

Imagine filling out insurance forms at the grocery store for "food insurance" .... "Ok, dill pickles are covered, but only generics. I don't see a listing for sweet pickles"
"Call my insurance company please, I am sure it is covered."

Ridiculous example but not that different than a doctor visit - ordinary day to day expenses.
Piling bureaucracy on to ordinary transactions cannot possibly lower costs. Obviously.
And if "food insurance" bought the food - the grocery carts would have a lot more steak and lot less mac and cheese. Obviously.

>In the good old days, if you got seriously sick you'd lose your job, then your work health insurance... then your house.
Exactly correct.
What you lost wasn't really insurance - it was an employer medical care plan.

It would turn out a lot better if you had real insurance that covered calamities.
Much like fire insurance on your house - insurance against unlikely but very expensive problems.