By most measures the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has failed to perform as promised. Additional government intervention in health care largely hasn't increased competition and choice for patients, hasn't allowed Americans to keep the coverage they wanted, and hasn't bent the so-called “cost curve” so much as shifted it. While Congress has made some progress towardchipping away at the harmful effects of the ACA, the odds of federal policymakers reaching a consensus on a comprehensive alternative remain slim.
But there's still cause for optimism. Health insurer Cigna's acquisition of Express Scripts is one vital sign that the transformational evolution in care so many are now seeking will happen outside Washington — as long as Washington has the foresight to let it unfold.
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