Even those "cheap" options were ludicrously overpriced because of how screwed up everything about medical billing is. That mostly traces back to the weird way insurance became tied to employment.

The biggest problem now is every thing is ludicrously expensive

One big change was "essential health benefits" that eliminated 'cheap' catastrophic options


Bell_curve

At least before 2013, when Obama care took effect, the health care system was barely functioning.  Today it is completely dysfunctional.

I think that was the plan

I agree, it made everything worse, but the fundamental problem was already deeply embedded.