No one’s arguing about the need for companies to make profit in order to exist. They do. Do they need to make excessive profits, most of which doesn’t trickle down to their own employees or serve and interests other a very, very few? They do not.

Enter the public option.

It would force companies to treat their customers better, or run the risk of losing them to a system that isn’t about making profit and doesn’t need to make a profit in order to continue existing.

Re pre-existing conditions, I’d argue that your point is without merit because, according to your own argument, you yourself would be screwed if something were to happen to you, a healthy person who only worries about broken bones, flu, etc., and so gets the lowest cost plan available, which doesn’t cover major diseaes, only to find out one day that you have cancer.

First, you’re not acting in your own self-interests (most likely because you’re one of the 99% who can’t). The system you’re defending sucks.

Second, your point seems to be hypothetical and isn’t really the way things work out here in the real world.