It started as an empty page. Well, the Democrats mocked that, so the Republicans put some words on the paper. The words don't actually mean anything other than "this space intentionally left blank," so I guess the Democrats are going to mock that, too. /snark.

So, if you spend $12,000 out of pocket every year for insurance on the individual market, the House bill could bring that burden down to a measly $11,040, and would do nothing to prevent you from going bankrupt if and when your policy gets canceled or you hit your annual or lifetime benefits cap.

No, that's incorrect. It's much worse than what you say. Or at least that's not how I read what the CBO is saying. In all cases, CBO is saying that premiums in 2016 would be that x percent less than it would be if nothing is done (CBOSpeak="under current law"), not x percent lower than they are now, in 2009. Average premiums are projected to double from their 2006 rates by 2016 according, at least, to the center for American Progress.

So, under the Republican plan, in 2016, people in the small group market would experience premium increases that are only 85-90% more than their 2006 premiums, rather than 100% larger.

Yay, Republicans! Give yourselves a well-deserved round of hundred dollar martinis!

i'm not sure why they are celebrating. their plan only covers 5% of the uninsured, and it is more costly.

i'm not sure why they are celebrating. their plan only covers 5% of the uninsured, and it is more costly.

It's actually much worse than that, Brian. The only reason the average person may have his/her premiums lowered is because (a) they'll be purchasing less coverage than they previously did, and (b) they won't have as many uninsurables to subsidize in their plan since the bill will make it virtually impossible for anyone with a pre-existing condition to purchase individual insurance (marginally better in the small-group market).

It's genius of Republicans! They make premiums more affordable by requiring insurance companies to cover fewer benefits and by making the deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance less affordable.

And high-risk pools don't work. Once you are lucky enough to qualify for your state's high-risk pool (which are very, very limited because of the costs), you have to wait 3-12 months (a.k.a. pre-exclusion period) before you can get your pre-existing condition covered. Meaning if you are a cancer survivor, and you wake up one morning noticing a lump on your breast, you have to wait until the pre-exclusion period expires to get care. And this is what John McCain was trying to greatly expand (and probably would cost $500 to $1T over 10 years to make health insurance even remotely affordable for someone who has diabetes)!