The government shutdown is brought on by Senate Democrats refusing to sign on to a clean continuing resolution because of exploding Obamacare premiums. Without an extension of the COVID-19 era coverage expansion subsidies, many people will see their premiums more than double. The heartless Republicans will consign people to lose their healthcare. Of course, some of those losing their subsidy make 600%0f of the poverty level, but everyone is entitled to healthcare, right?

None of this mess should come as a surprise. When the original Obamacare bill squeaked through, President Obama and the Democrats told us this was a way to get close to universal medical care at a reasonable cost.

Obamacare, at the forefront of the shutdown, brought back the memory of why I started this blog. At the time, I, along with a slew of others, disputed these claims. We said the projected costs would prove much higher and would leave many people uncovered. Of course, we’re correct:

Even with the COVID-19 expansion, 27.2 million Americans, or 8.7%, remained uninsured in 2024. Coupling with this failure are rapidly rising costs. Contributing to these costs is widespread fraud.

After the Affordable Care Act (ACA, Obamacare) narrowly passed and went into effect, I happened to inveigh against it at a family dinner, pointing out its numerous flaws and how to improve healthcare. My stepdaughter challenged me to come up with a better plan. In other words, put up or shut up, though she said more nicely.

This reasonable dare prodded me to start this blog to air my public policy ideas, beginning with healthcare. Dave’s Healthcare Plan went online in 2014. Anyone can read it here.

The difference between my Plan and others, including the ACA, is that it integrates health insurance with savings and portability. This view of a person’s financial picture is standard for a financial advisor assessing a person’s economic needs. Without health insurance, you could wipe out your savings overnight. Your savings could make healthcare more affordable.