Definitely progress. Was it worth the cost to taxpayers and the impact on those who lost their doctors, hospitals and insurance they liked? Only time will tell.
Who has lost doctors or hospitals or insurance they liked? People get to choose the insurance that is accepted by their doc/hospital before they buy it. Only an idiot would buy insurance that is not accepted by their provider. As to 'insurance they liked', Insurance companies were freed to re-issue any plans they offered. As you know, insurers review their plans and change their policies every year anyway. This year they were simply required to have minimum standards on their offerings.
Over time, it will be easier when one can go online or walk into an 'insurance center' and see a simple menu. Maybe like this:
Bronze plan: $4000 deductible- 50% pay after met at $X price
Copper plan: $3,000 " - 60% " at a little more
Silver plan : $2,000 " - 70% " at a little more
Gold plan : $1,000 " - 80% " at even more
All plans have X number of visits & all diagnostics paid with no deductible or co-pay. Choose your plan and insurance company based on the doc/hospital in it's plans.
As has been said time and again over the 4+ months we've managed to keep this thread going without it being closed (THANK YOU, MODERATORS) the ACA is just a start. It's a work in progress. Much modification remains to get more people insured, lower costs, make coverage more universal. As you said, George, Time will tell.