You’d expect there to be a balancing period where insurers and the health care administrators juggle the numbers until the penalty option no longer becomes viable. Universal health care, in one shape or another, is very likely going to become a thing of the future, and transitioning may be a little bumpy, but the US will be the better for it. It may not be a perfect solution, but it will provide more cover to more people, by reducing costs which is really what this is all about. The inverse is true for the current (now past) system, which was headed in the wrong direction. It will all be water under the bridge in a few years, and the bill’s detractors will eventually acquiesce. The task for the future, will then be to ensure future voters make health care a priority to keep future governments on their toes. What will be interesting is, who will be better at it, the Republicans or the Democrats, and will this change the political landscape?