I don't know where HCR is ultimately going to end up, but it's useful to consider why a basically simply problem is being addressed with an incredibly complicated solution. It's because (and maybe I've forgotten a few):
1) Everyone should keep their existing coverage.
2) Health insurance and Pharma profits are preserved
3) A mostly arbitrary total price tag, and deficit neutrality
4) An individual mandate which requires people to enroll themselves in a program instead of just having the gov. send them an insurance card and a bill and/or tax
5) The obsession with complicated means-testing formulas for any subsidies.
It really doesn't have to be so complicated.
