Yes, the government roll-out of the Affordable Care Act fits the definition of fiasco. And, yes, the President (and his advisers) should be criticized for saying people could keep their current policies if they so desired.

Even so, the program goes a long way toward repairing what everyone agrees was a “broken” system.

I was an executive with a health insurance company. Just starting out my career I can recall the difficulties we faced as a Medicare carrier when that program went live. Consider this a sort of “been there, done that” comment from a person with experience in the financing of healthcare services both public and private.

As I learned the business I became more and more convinced that access to healthcare should be considered a right and not a privilege. Whether it’s family, a next door neighbor or a complete stranger, when a person becomes sick they should not have to worry about contractual fine print, pre-existing conditions clauses, contract maximums, high deductibles or cancellation provisions.

And, if they have no coverage at all, then what?

There are those who disregard such scenarios. They are smiling as “Obamacare” stumbles. Individuals with solid health insurance policies who do not accept or understand the principle of “there but for the grace of God go I.”

They have no problem with the reality that they and theirs can go in the door marked “good medical care” while those others line up at the “not so good medical care” entrance.

A two-tiered system of medical care in the richest country in the world is unacceptable.

And if the smilers think the profit-seeking private insurance industry can make all things right after their many, many decades of failure then, in such a fanciful world, I predict the Cubs will win the pennant next year!