What a truly horrible bill. It takes the bad points of the PPACA and doubles down on them. Raising the "age tax" from 300% to 500% guarantees that the already sky high premiums for older Alaskans will raise massively. The cheapest unsubsidized premium for (one) 64 year old is currently $20,808 a year. That's with the current 300% age tax, not the proposed Senate 500% age tax. This year the cutoff for help with that $20,808 for a one person household is at $59,360. Under the Senate plan that number drops to $52,710 (estimated).

But the penalty for waiting to buy insurance till you "need" it goes to $0. The subsidies to encourage carrying insurance are greatly reduced. Preexisting conditions will still be covered. Older people, that tend to place a higher value on having insurance will be priced out of the market.

It will not be viable to sell insurance in Alaska if this bill passes. That is clear. Aren't Republicans supposed to understand business? What a hideous bill for Alaskans.