It makes sense, all these folks buying plans on the "Exchanges" are with after tax dollars whilst the deduction remains for small businesses to take this deduction ( it hangs by a thread IMHO ).
The Solution to Insure everyone was to Change line 29 on the 1040 so that anyone could buy a plan with Pre-Tax Dollars and expand the State Based High Risk Polls to all 50 States from the 35 we had post the ACA's enactment.
IMHO those simple changes would have increases the ability go get Insurance especially for those who "couldn't" get it.
But it wasn't about buying a Pre-Tax Dollar low cost HSA plan and maintaining your Liberty, it was all about control.
The fundamental issue is access to healthcare and at least 50% of healthcare costs are driven by local and state zoning and licensing rules. Hospitals get monopolies. Medical schools get slavewage interns, etc. Pharmacists cannot write scrips only fill them.
Any state could increase the competition and drive down healthcare costs by simply allow doctors from other states to practice without new exams, etc. Doctors get rated now and that’s improved service already.
What the Feds could have done was:
1. Change the tax code and it would have made healthcare portable.
2. Use its Commerce Clause power to create what America was meant to be: a free trade zone. Let people buy insurance across state lines.
There were a dozen really good changes that would have increased healthcare competition. Democratcare was nearly the worst and they would have made it even worse, but couldn’t get away with it.
Imagine just a simple change to medical device and pharmaceutical access - life saving choice. If you’re terminal you get to use whatever you want. Over time you’d see that slowly migrate out toward all kinds of chronic diseases.
How about allowing immediate access pending FDA full approval to all drugs approved in Britain, Germany, France and Japan?
The key to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is less government.
It's ALL ABOUT CONTROL OVER US!!!