" The architects of the program assumed that risk pools would be bigger than they turned out to be."

Let's give credit where credit is due.

Republicans consistently refused to fix ANY of the flaws in Obamacare, for fear they'd be primaried.

By contrast, when it became apparent Republicans had screwed up wording in the tax code regarding farmers, Democrats voted to fix it immediately.

"I find it incredible anyone would claim it would bring healthcare costs down"

Maybe you should pick up a history book.

In the decade before Obamacare, inflation was 31%, while medical inflation was 131%, i.e., more than FOUR TIMES INFLATION. Trustees of medical insurance plans were freaking out over the trajectory. (I know; I was a Trustee of a medical insurance fund, and we were freaking out.)

What the ACA did, was bend the trajectory downward. That, combined with the after-effects of the Bush Bust and Bailout, lowered the inflation rate for multiple years, and gave a lot of Health Plans some breathing room.

As regulars know, I've been against the ACA since the start, but I've always said I'd give kudos if it addressed runaway medical inflation.

It did.

"The architects of the program assumed that risk pools would be bigger than they turned out to be."

Amazing what happened, when Republicans removed the mandate.