And yet some people believe that workers will magically be able to afford coverage if it's not tied to emplotment.
Don't get me wrong...it would be great to delink it. But that doesn't mean we get something for nothing. Costs to individuals would go up, not down. Freedom costs.
How about this, as a random thought - and I know it involves using the tax code, but it's a step in delinking:
Instead of a penalty for not having insurance, give a tax incentive to do so. At the same time, tax employer provided insurance as a perk, same as any other perk. Combine that with reopening the range of policies the insurance companies can provide - from catastrophic to covering everything down to hangnails and split ends.
Can't see why it wouldn't work.
Of course, I'd do something about the ridiculous hospital charges as well. What, I'm not sure though.