> Most of the "health insurance" this article refers to carries such high deductibles that the people that have these policies can't afford to use them. So they are paying relatively high monthly premiums for coverage that they'll never be able to use except when they go to the ER, which they could have done before Obamacare and without the monthly hit for the premium.

Healthcare in the US is still horribly broken, but Obamacare was a step in the right direction. Many more people now have access to preventative care and though deductibles are still high, hospitalization will be less financially catastrophic than it was without insurance. Overall this should reduce costs as fewer uninsured patients will end up being treated in the ER, reducing costs passed on to everyone else.

A public option would be cheaper than the current compromise.