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The government has no power to force an illegal immigrant to buy insurance. This illegal will still go to the ER, and the ER will treat him just the same.

Illegals are an entire different story and discussion - treat true emergencies only, then deport them all.

Lots of other people do not want insurance. Insurance is needed only when you cannot afford something. If you can, you are better off self-insuring. Majority of large businesses are self-insured, and anyone who is "sufficiently" wealthy can also do the same. Insurance companies are working for profit. You can become your own insurance company and keep the profit. If you have a $100K in liquid assets you may be already good to go this way. If you need more, chances are it's not treatable anyway, and you will do better if you just use the money in a more worthy way. There are also groups of people (some are church-based, other are not) that do the same within the group; this allows you to join with zero capital and invest as you go. In essence, that is a commune-based, not for profit insurance company

I have no problem with the self-insured, individuals or groups.But they have to show they are sufficiently capitalized. Don't expect anyone to bail you out if you run out of $$. Your group needs to take up the slack.

And, of course, requiring anyone to buy a commercial product is completely insane from every point of view. Such a mandate is deeply offensive and has no place in a free society.

So how do you feel about car insurance? Should we allow any yahoo to run around without liability insurance? Do you really want to pay the vastly increased premiums on YOUR policy because of them?

I have no problem with the self-insured, individuals or groups.But they have to show they are sufficiently capitalized. Don't expect anyone to bail you out if you run out of $$.

"Showing" someone that you have "enough" money requires an overseer, a despot. Traditionally you only needed the marketplace to find out if the buyer has enough money.

Also note that traditional insurance companies can out of money at any time. They won't run out of money in the bank - but they can run out of *your account's* money. They will not deliver an infinite amount of financing to treat you; it is not even mathematically possible.

This means that all medical services are limited in scope. A self-insured person is not any different from an insurance company; both aren't willing (or capable) of paying too much.

It is much easier to charge money for all services that a commercial entity offers. Those who can pay do pay; those who have no money have to depend on a credit. If there is no credit there is no treatment. Illegals can surrender to DHS, get treated there and deported. Poor but healthy citizens will be required to do community work until their debt is paid off. Poor and sick citizens will be supported by taxpayers.

Anyway, Obamacare has a big problem with self-insured people. It will not be permitted on an individual level, and will be restricted to a couple of named groups on a group level.

So how do you feel about car insurance? Should we allow any yahoo to run around without liability insurance?

You do not have to buy a car insurance. First, you don't have to buy a car in the first place. Second, if you do own a car, you don't need to buy your car insurance from an insurance company. There are other options. You can deposit $35K with the DMV; you can be self-insured (requires that you prove to DMV that you have money); you can also get a private surety bond for the same $35K.

I personally buy my car insurance, but that's because it is cheaper this way. I think I pay $300/yr for one car. That is 0.85% of the $35K. If I have the $35K I would be far better off investing the money because I can get anywhere between 3% and 5% from municipal bonds, for example. But this choice is mine and mine alone. Obamacare takes this choice away from me.