For the past few months I have been getting robocalls encouraging me to buy health insurance from them. So these plans may already be out there.

My attitude is don't buy things from telemarketers but confess it seems tempting. Would any of these plans have any redeeming value if I thought I could hold off 3 years until medicare? That is if I passed all my cancer screenings.

$11,000 a year is a hella lot of routine medical care. Right now I tell myself to consider most of that as charity, as it reflects higher hospital fees for those who do get sick, and thus some contribution for the uninsured who can't get Medicaid. I'd rather contribute directly to RAM and Dr Kim, etc. Cut out all the middlemen.

The Senate bill would change that. It includes a modified version of a proposal by conservative Senators Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, that would allow insurers to sell plans that do not meet Obamacare’s regulations.

That means they don’t have to not cover “essential health benefits,” which include everything from hospitalization to maternity care. They could also deny plans to people with pre-existing conditions or charge them more based on their health.

Customers would not be able to use federal subsidies to buy these plans, which would likely have much lower premiums than other coverage, along with high deductibles. That could interest people who don’t qualify for tax credits and don’t have any immediate medical needs, but still want some limited insurance.

If you have expensive medical needs, though, you’d have to turn elsewhere.

Major Health Care Changes in the Senate GOP Bill