re: Employer Health Insurance plan too high

Healthcare didn't want the law.

But when the dems were desperate to get a "win", they allowed it to be crafted by the healthcare companies.

I don't think that had any impact on where we are today.
It impacted a security against losses for so many years (i think it was 5 years of losses by health insurance companies were repaid by taxpayers dollars). Dems sold the taxpayers out for that 5 year sweetheart deal to insurance companies (I'm not positive on the length of the guaranty, but it felt like 5 years).

When you increase the cost of something, business makes more money.
It is a basic concept of margins. Everyone in the oil business understands this as well.

If I make 2% profit over $1,000,000,000 cost then I will be really happy making 2% on $100,000,000,000 cost.
The insurance company has an incentive to learn how to budget and manage the cost. But not an incentive to keep the cost down.

No pre-existing conditions?
Increased mandated coverages (losing aspects of an Ala carte plan which restricts coverage costs).
Of course health insurance costs were going to flow like Niagara falls over a cliff.