We’ve been writing this week about the ways that proposals to allow people to shop for insurance across state lines would not strengthen the individual market through choice and competition, as advocates for such policies argue. To the contrary, it would weaken that market, making it even harder for older people or those with a less than stellar health history to get affordable coverage—or even not so affordable coverage.

Along similar lines, The Wall Street Journal’s Health Blog reports on a new study that found that 15 percent of the people looking for insurance online were “uninsurable” because of preexisting conditions ranging from a past C-sections to obesity. The Health Blog added, “The report’s authors point out that the findings don’t necessarily mean the uninsurable will never get health insurance. But if they do, it would be extremely expensive and probably wouldn’t cover the pre-existing condition at issue.”

We recognize that the profile of an online shopper in today’s world isn’t necessarily identical to a new world of tax credits and incentives aimed at expanding coverage through the market instead of the workplace. Still the figures are not encouraging.The Journal’s blog also did a lighter post inspired by John McCain’s remarks about “Cadillac” health coverage for hair transplants in the debate the other night. (The cosmetic kind, not reconstructive hair and scalp surgery after a terrible burn or accident.) If there’s such a plan out there, the International Society of Hair Restoration would like to know about it. The society’s president Dr. William Parsley said he’s had two covered patients in 34 years of practice, and the most recent one was 20 years ago.