So - what choice was there before for most ordinary people?

‘Here’s a plan for NJ…establish a high-risk pool for those difficult to insure…’

And who is going to do this? Sounds like another government plan. All you’re proposing is the same old mish mash of complexity and unaffordability for most people.

Why is it either “fraud by citizens” or an “extension of the program.” The article notes that the fraud was enabled because the state wasn’t checking beneficiaries income adequately.

If NJ models its plan on Mass., then it will not result in “widescale consumer choice of affordable plans.” Mass. limits the choice of plans by mandating the benefits they must contain, and most of the plans through the Connector could face a double-digit increase in price in the coming year.

Here’s a plan for NJ: get rid of the ridiculous community rating and guaranteed issue regulations, dump its mandate benefits, let different groups create pooling mechanisms, establish a high-risk pool for those difficult to insure, and let consumers purchase insurance out-of-state. That would be a heckuva good start.