If I have to subsidize an industry as a taxpayer, it had best be one that at least marginally provides some small tangible benefit, such as lower premiums.

Generally, I agree that predatory pricing funded by taxpayers is unfair to other health insurers. On the other hand, health insurers are an unscrupulous lot, constantly backing out of agreed to terms of service while at the same time hiking premiums at outlandish rates that exceed double digits that of the inflation rate. Their premiums are overinflated, and unjustifiably so, imo. They have gamed the system, so, what can we do about it?

I can’t say this would be my ax to grind with the govt. As a taxpayer, my ax to grind with the gubmint is subsidizing the banksters on Wall Street. Those subsidies will never come back to me as a taxpayer. And additional subsidies to the banksters in 2009 is bordering on fraud, racketeering, and being unconstitutional.