Portabillity has NEVER been a problem. If you had group coverage on one job and left for another job with group coverage you were immideately covered BY LAW. No waiting and the waiting period for pre-existing conditions was waived. So if you were being treated for illness or injury THERE WOULD BE NO INTERUPTION IN YOUR CARE. Also, say you had a lay off and were out of work for seveal months before landing a new job and you have a chronic disease, say diabetes. The diagnoses and treatment of the disease happened under another gruop plan then the waiting period for pre-existing conditions is wavived, BY LAW. These laws were on the books for decades prior to Obamcare. They were passed to protect consumers and business. The waiting period was put in to stop someone who gets sick from getting a job with coverage, working long enough to get covered, getting treatment and/or surgery and uitting the job. Yes this happened. A lot. In those days getting a job was much easier than today.
As for your cost comparison with cars, well that just shows ignorance on how the economy works. If I make/sell cars I can entice folks with flashy new models and features to try and hit their "buy button". This will allways create some business but cars also wear out over time requiring a new purchase. I have never heard not one person say "hey, they got a new thinner hose with 10 megapixel camera at the hospital so I scheduled a colonoscopy."