Government insurance always inadequate

In his speech to Congress, President Obama said "under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance - just as most states require you to carry auto insurance."

How will he enforce that? Will the FBI arrest people? Will people be forced to sell their homes to pay a yearly bill sent by the IRS? I doubt that. Most likely, 10 to 20 percent of our population will ignore the law, just like some people in Illinois drive without the required auto insurance.

I was surprised President Obama compared his plan to auto insurance. Illinois requires $40,000 coverage for death or injury - with a limit of $20,000 per person. This law is horribly inadequate. A serious injury can result in $200,000 in medical bills, many times higher than the required $20,000 of coverage.

If I wrote President Obama's speech I would have avoided any mention of state auto insurance laws, because it reminds voters that government insurance programs always end up being inadequate. Medicare is another example of an inadequate government insurance program. Many doctors won't take Medicare patients because the reimbursement is inadequate. VA hospitals are yet another government program where reports of inadequate care are easy to find.

Finally, President Obama stated that illegal aliens won't be covered. But, if we make the mistake of creating government subsidized health care, how will we prevent illegal aliens from sneaking into it? Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from working in the U.S., but we haven't rigorously enforced that law for decades.

Dale H. Johnson

Elgin