The biggest flaw, for the ACA .. the one that affected most Americans that pay their own way ... Is the ONE provision that EVERYONE says that we MUST keep.

That is the provision that all are insured ... and all pay the same rate .. with the exception of smokers. Now, having known more than a few underwriters, for health insurance (when it was actually "insurance") that told me that smokers did NOT add to their costs , as long as the smoker was not also obese

Point of fact, Nationwide Health (y'know "Nationwide is on your side") did not charge a higher rate .. they had no smoker or nonsmoker rates they had "preferred", standard, and rate-ups as high as the individual state's allowed ... CA and OH rate-ups were limited to no more than 75% above standard. Of course there were riders and exclusions .. Beyond that .. uninsurable. I knew a few of Nationwide's actuaries and underwrites and they showed me tons of national data, wherein smokers cost the insurer LESS than the average nonsmoker, all other conditions being equal. If someone was borderline obese ,.. they were rated up 25%. However, if that applicant was borderline obese and smoker .. uninsurable .. Smokers cost them nothing more, unless weight was also an issue ... then .. well .. if you puff cancer sticks .. stay skinny.

But, I digress . The individual or family that pays its own way (imagine that) .. prior to the ACA had expensive coverage, but NOTHING compared to the ACA.

A family of two, late fifties (58) to Medicare age (65) .. preferred rate, for FAMILY deductible of 2500 dollars (that means any combination of covered healthcare expenses from BOTH family members added together to hit the 2500) with 100% coinsurance (meaning .. hit the deductible .. every other dollar is fully paid by the insurer) ran 605 dollars .. per month. A 5000 dollar FAMILY deductible ran 480 dollars per month.

Now .. that EVERYONE pays the same premium and EVERYONE is insured .. the lowest "Bronze Plan" .. carries a monthly premium, same age band, with a twelve thousand dollar INDIVIDUAL deductible and 60/40 coinsurance with a cap of 13,000 dollars ... now remember that's per INDIVIDUAL. The lowest rate, in this area .. is 989 dollars per month ...

Today .. and with the same crap in the ACHA ... that's a potential out of pocket .. for the family unit exceeding 50,000 dollars. Whereas, when it was actually insurance .. that maximum out of pocket .. was five large ..

So, five thousand out of pocket for les than five hunnert .. FIFTY LARGE out of pocket for close to a thousand a month.

That, is what made the ACA the burden that it became to an actual working family that paid their own way.

You can take the keep little kiddies, living in mommy's basement .. coverage .. Who cares?

All that I know is a difference of six thousand dollars per year .. that's not a nice "little benefit' .. and FIFTY LARGE compared to five thousand .. that's a big deal.

I collect swords and firearms (mostly fowling pieces) .. Six grand a year .. I can buy a decent sword .. or something .. However, in the case of the average family .. that meant a drastic reduction in their spendable budget.

Wanting the provision of all paying the same rates .. and everyone to be covered .. That is what altered, drastically in many cases, a family's quality of life.

My wife goes on Medicare next year,in January .. I'll be on it less than a year after her .. So, retaining this bull does not really have an effect on me .. the fact that the ACA takes over 720 BILLION from Medicare, over the next ten years, to subsidize the ACA does. But, hey .. bust on the old coots .. no big deal there.

I have a couple of pitchforks ... I'd better start shopping for torches.