Nice post and cool to see your perspective.

Couple of comments on a topic with which I really struggle - I'm a free market devotee who questions how well health insurance and HC generally fit with the free market. So two points jump out at me:

4) Pre-existing conditions - your answer is too pat IMO. The current poster baby, literally, is Jimmy Kimmel's newborn, who's only crime was to be born. Didn't smoke, didn't drink or do drugs, skydive, or ride motorcycles, and by all accounts neither did his parents. Many pre-existing conditions just develop with age or from genetics or bad luck.

Fewer young people than old people have them, so the idea is that younger people pay for those in older people today, and in 30 years, you will get the benefit of the 20 somethings at that time.

That is a problem - the basic model for SS and Medicare, and we know where that got us. These pyramid scheme scenarios are dicey because who knows how demographic patterns will change.

I am ok with sin taxes to help cover what you're talking about.

6) Trust me, many types of surgery will cost a fortune no matter what if you hope to avail yourself of the best equipment, docs, and technology. So I broadly agree that HC in general has some real free market problems, and insurance is part of that, but the other part of it is that if I am in real distress, afraid for my life, or in need of advanced, complex surgery, I will not comparison shop. I want the best care I can get as quickly as I can get it, especially if I am in sudden crisis. The fact is that HC delivery may be a poor match for the free market. Another example I saw years ago - two state-of-the-art burn centers in a small city - I think it was Minneapolis. Sounds great - competition is good for us all, right? Problem is, there's barely enough "business" for 1, let alone 2 in that city. So what really happens is everyone who goes into either one of those hospitals for a stitch or two pays for a small share of unnecessary state of the art burn treatment.

The more all this roiling goes on; the more we see how incredibly hard it is to "repeal and replace", even with majority repubs all across govt doing what they've been screaming about for almost a decade, the more I begin to accept that single payer may be the only way to get something effective done.

Let's say the House passes something - how likely is it that the Senate passes something that can be reconciled? And if something is passed, what chance, with all this political wrangling, is there that it will actually work in practice?

(In response to this post by John Donna Choi)

Posted: 05/04/2017 at 2:37PM

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Are there any righties on this board that stand by this bill? ** -- Hooddihsm 05/04/2017 12:16PM

Looking forward to seeing what comes out of the Senate ** -- dajoka004 05/04/2017 2:11PM

A rejection letter ** -- hooshouse 05/04/2017 2:13PM

Have to pass it to learn what's in it. It's a dog's breakfast in any event -- WaxHoo 05/04/2017 2:09PM

Been wondering, how much does the bill need to change Obamacare before it -- JohnHoo2 05/04/2017 2:09PM

Two things stand out to me -- John Donna Choi 05/04/2017 2:01PM

Nice post and cool to see your perspective. -- hoolstoptheheels 05/04/2017 2:37PM

An alternative take to the Kimmel baby story.. -- HoosGuy 05/04/2017 3:52PM

Re #4 and #5. The first shows you are clueless (or disingenous) about how -- Seattle .Hoo 05/04/2017 2:27PM

Thank yiou. saved me the typing ** -- 111Balz 05/04/2017 5:58PM

#4 -- SabreNation 05/04/2017 2:34PM

I didn't say you werent fit :) -- John Donna Choi 05/04/2017 2:38PM

I don't have COPD or eat little debbies all day. There are many like me. ** -- SabreNation 05/04/2017 2:42PM

If I get Cancer, I'm not covered. Because I can't afford insurance. -- John Donna Choi 05/04/2017 2:33PM

Meet the new cap, same as the old cap. :) ** -- WahooRQ 05/04/2017 3:23PM

Then we'll be the ones bailing you out. We need single-payer, dude! ** -- Seattle .Hoo 05/04/2017 2:39PM

I have no problem with single payer -- John Donna Choi 05/04/2017 2:43PM

You may not have been advised of the subsidy you would be entitled to, -- southdenverhoo 05/04/2017 2:55PM

Interesting. My Rep Dave Reichert (R) just announced "no." Will it pass? ** -- Seattle .Hoo 05/04/2017 1:06PM

I'm not sure if this one will pass. -- John Donna Choi 05/04/2017 2:06PM

It really does not matter...whatever emerges from the Senate's end of the -- Tuckahokie 05/04/2017 1:03PM

It is a show. ** -- Shenhoo 05/04/2017 1:53PM

GOP Reps desperate to get this s*^t sandwich off their plates. That is all ** -- WaxHoo 05/04/2017 12:41PM

Listening to debate it's clear that some people don't understand how -- Seattle .Hoo 05/04/2017 12:25PM

To create and cheerlead on something like ACA, you are right -- TomKazanski 05/04/2017 3:34PM

I've enjoyed them using examples of failed Obamacare in states -- hooshouse 05/04/2017 1:06PM

Not listening But I am convinced we have some real dumb asses -- 111Balz 05/04/2017 12:49PM

Yah; pre-existing conditions are a choice by the morally bankrupt. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 05/04/2017 12:50PM

No, but at the same time covering pre-existing conditions is not -- Hokie5150 05/04/2017 1:38PM

Good reason to reduce the influence of the for profit insurance -- hoodeyo 05/04/2017 2:31PM

While I get your point, and it certainly applies to anyone -- 111Balz 05/04/2017 1:58PM

No, it's a base measure of a great nation. ** -- SchmHoo 05/04/2017 1:54PM

Not one that is supposedly based on a foundation of liberty. ** -- Hokie5150 05/04/2017 4:59PM

Fine, but then put in the teeth required to make it such that -- BocaHoo91 05/04/2017 2:49PM

No doubt that the ACA could be use massive improvement. It's not perfect. -- SchmHoo 05/04/2017 2:59PM

Pretty dumb to monkey with that provision as popular as it is -- hoodeyo 05/04/2017 1:06PM