I too, have always wondered why they could not create insurance pools that weren't necessarily tied to your employment. I don't really consider Obamacare to be a real "pool" but rather a menu of healthcare for individuals. My biggest problem with Obamacare is that the deductibles are staggeringly high, which effectlively only makes it insurance against catastrophical illness. Several people I know have told me about their 3000-4000 dollar deductibles. So it's not just enough to have affordable insurance premiums, but at the same time the deductibles have to be realistic enough to allow for preventive care as well. Especially since I just read an article that says that 47% of Americans can not come up with $400 for an emergency, without letting other payments slip, or making a trip to the Payday loan store. Apparently that is the "new" safety net for what is left of the middle class.