To attempt to make good on his promise “if you like your plan you can keep it”, Obama swallowed his pride and offered a fix.
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It was the honorable thing to do. It is only offered for one year. He even admits that it will not make all cancelled plans re-appear at the same price (but prices have been going up most years anyway- actually mine went down from 2012-2103). But he is doing what he can.
So those cancelled plans that did not meet the ACA requirements (pre-existing conditions allowed, annual or lifetime caps, no rebates when payments are lower than 80% of premiums, 18-26 olds cannot be on their parent’s plan) will probably be re-offerred. This will probably mean more people will sign up for ObamaCare (e.g. those with pre-existing conditions and those 18-26 year old (many recent college grads are not finding jobs thanks to the financial crisis)). All I can say to those who opt for the cheaper non-ACA compliant plans is GOOD LUCK - you may be one serious illness away from bankruptcy.
I’m still bothered by the lack of cost control that can only come with elimination of the overtreatment (as opposed to maximizing treatment to maximize profit as in our current system). ObmaCare will not substantially help that. Single payer systems (e.g. all other OEDC countries) have controlled costs but the HC lobby will not allow it in the US.