Name:   architect - Subject:   Tell me all you free marketeers Date:   3/8/2015 2:15:26 PM (updated 3/8/2015 2:19:25 PM)

If Obamacare is so disasterous and such a threat to our "private" healthcare system, then why did insurance and other healthcare related stocks spike last week when Justice Kennedy asked questions that made it appear he might side against the plaintiffs?

Several years ago during the healthcare debate I posted my belief that the secret to controlling health insurance costs was to mandate that each and every individual citizen or family be required obtain private health insurance directly or through a government exchange with no refusal permitted due to pre-existing conditions, age, sex, race etc.  Those who could not pay would receive subsidies or tax credits.  NO employer would be permitted to provide health insurance either fully or partially paid by either employer or employee. Businesses would be completely out of the health insurance equation. This would bring true competition to health insurance because each citizen begins to shop around for coverage.  I believed this then and still do today.  At the time MM even had some kind words for my proposal.  Obamacare got us part of the way there and the yearly increase in premiums has slowed drastically (FACT) and in 18 months the percentage of uninsured has dropped more than 20% from over 17% uninsured to under 14% (FACT). In KY and AR, where democratic governors managed to get state exchanges established, the number of uninsured has dropped 55% and 45% respectively (FACT).