Health insurance in the US is complicated; life insurance is much simpler.  While most countries of the world have moved to a single-payer health system where everyone gets health services, the US continues to have insurance companies.  It seems to be a fact of life, and one that the poor must struggle against in order to get health care.

The Obama administration created the PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). Under PPACA, the less you earn, the more affordable insurance becomes.  It is a concept that seem to be working here.  But if you do not want health insurance, you have to pay a fee; this is part of how the PPACA is paid for.  This has created controversy.
 
The current US congress is trying to replace the PPACA with the AHCA. The first try in Congress failed, but senate Republicans keep trying to come up with something that will work.  Traditional Republican ideas, like Vouchers, are also going to be exclusionary and will not help poor people in any kind of comprehensive fashion.
 
What would be ideal is to simply expand Medicare to everyone.  A simple model, it could help all poor people, and then on top of Medicare you could have private insurance policies for those with money who want higher levels of care.  This may be the best answer in the long term for the US - if Congress would ever get brave enough to do it.

Here are some of the things going on in the world of insurance.

"Price Optimization" is a technique used by insurance companies to target certain groups.  Studies have found that certain groups are less likely to shop around, and more likely to buy insurance at higher rates.  This includes the elderly, and teens.  Some insurance companies will take the top 1% or 2% in these demographics and raise the rates.  The solution for you is, always shop around; and help your family members too

'Obamacare' policies have hit 7 million now; that means that these federal programs are helping a lot of people, including people who might not otherwise afford health insurance.  Hispanics are still lagging in signups and so more outreach effort is needed. Many of the state exchanges had some initial software problems, but most of those have been fixed now.

Small Insurance "Co-Ops" are growing in popularity, and effectiveness.  They can save a lot of money, and members have a say in how they operate.  Here is an excellent article from NPR on these Co-Ops.
 
Insurance rates are rising; and this has nothing to do with 'Obamacare'.  Insurance companies continue to find ways to squeeze consumers.  Rates have risen 15% on average from 2010 to 2014; most of the rise was in 2010.  Employers are changing the plans they offer, and rates do vary by state.

Tickets can raise your car insurance premium; the worst ticket is DUI, followed by 'Reckless driving'.  A DUI ticket can raise your rates by up to 93%; Reckless driving averages an 82% rise.  Others include Careless Driving (27%), Speeding (up to 30%), Failure to Stop (19%), Failure to Yield (19%), Carpool Violation (18%).  Some tickets, in some states, can be 'erased' by attending Traffic School.


Republicans continue their fantasy to repeal Obamacare.  What is particularly troubling is that they offer no alternative help.  People need insurance; Republicans do not seem to understand this.  They are banking on the hope that the poor, who are uninsured, are not voters - but this is not the case anymore.  For example, Bobby Jindal wants to simply take away your insurance - read about it here.