charliehall:
Without a subsidized public option, the “actuarial” cost of entering will be too high for anyone to use when they get their condition (as well as anyone else in the individual market, due to the mean costs including those who join sick). The insurance companies will demand full payment up front for the year (even with a “rebate” for high profits, which will only be if there are any after the costs are paid), and the potential insured will not be able to enter without subsidies.
The big deal here is those subsidies, which only shift money from Medicare Advantage(?) and other programs to the new “Medicaid”. Not a bad idea in general, but not really a cost cutting help. Especially since the subsidies go into the pockets of the Insurance Companies.
What we agree would have made a large reduction in costs is tort reform and/or a Federal HC system with salaried doctors (like the VA) to create “fixed” costs, but neither of those are in the interests of the Democrats (or Republicans, for that matter), even if they are in the best interests of the fiscal (and very possibly physical) health of the nation.