Thanks. So, that being said, is there any fatal downside into passing this bill. I mean, will passing it make it harder somehow to get a really effective bill passed down the road.
There is one factor that long term may tip the balance - the fact that this is going to fall on the states. Generally that's a very good thing if the FedGov gives them the proper leeway.
Except for getting rid of the mandate and the penalty, they aren't doing that right now. It does though open the door in the future for beneficial tweaks. For example allowing companies to pool across state lines by reciprocity agreements, exclusions/carve outs, incentives for companies to take high risks but not jack their premium, etc.
But, it is a fundamental structural shift to boot it to the states, even if the motive likely is to get it out of the Congress critters hair. That does end alot of the FedGov bureaucratic control over it via the Executive branch, as long as the states obey the parameters.