[steve86]

the $6K deductible plan is selling for more (after subsidies) than the old, low-deductible maintenance plan.

That's true -- due mainly to the mandatory provisions e.g. no pre-existing condition exclusion.

[HiTech RedNeck]

And on top of that it has to get laundered through a Brobdingnagian apparatus that takes its own cut.

Frank welfare would be cheaper than this Rube Goldberg apparatus of a law.