I think I've finally figured it out.  The "Affordable" Care Act was in fact a massive cost-shifting from the shoulders of the insurance companies (and therefore their stockholders and owners) and illegal immigrants (prospective Democrats?  Yah think?) onto any individual citizens able to withstand any cost whatsoever.  In addition, it also comprised, as has been stated before, a massive federal power grab from the States and power grab from and intrusion into the lives of private citizens.  Remember back to before the Act took effect.  Yes, it's true; our health care insurance and delivery systems were both a hodgepodge.  Yet, with any degree of brains and initiative, at least most of those under the federal poverty line were able to obtain affordable health care.  This was through both cost-shifting by hospitals (which, yes, indirectly cost consumers money but the cost was directly borne by insurance companies) and free prescription programs offered by pharmaceutical companies (in my opinion to avoid precisely the type of massive federal intervention which later took place and possibly to offset massive profits for income tax, political and public relations purposes) as well as discount programs offered by retailers and through medical discount cards.  Now, there is a legal mandate that everyone sign up through either a government agency or contractor (outside of a few well-designed loopholes which in my opinion were put there specifically to get this monstrosity past the U.S. Constitution.  You can meet the mandate by buying insurance from a few organizations that are legally designated 'religious organizations'.  In my local area there is also a pilot program which provides very-low-cost coverage to people below the federal poverty line.  The process for getting in is very simple.  The literature given out to describe services available is very general and dumbed-down beyond belief.  (You have to contact the program's administrators and ask to get information about anything beyond the most basic information).  And if your first language is Spanish there is a translator there for you {ring any alarm bells considering what's been going on over the last year or so at our southern border?  It should.  Sounds as if that band that we hear all over the airwaves, Obie and the Dems, is working hard to satisfy the voting bloc which they anticipate will keep them in power over the next fifty years; and no, for those of you who are a little slow, I do not mean those who crossed our southern border legally!  I am referring to illegal crossers and their progeny, who by mere tradition in the United States will be considered legal citizens (I support that tradition, by the way.  In fact, I support making it into law.  I simply don't support its' use as a political tool.)}