It’s Not Free, Genius
I happened to pass a protest today in center city. They were rallying for a single payer national healthcare plan. One of the signs really stood out among the others. It was handwritten and read: "America is so rich healthcare should be free".
I really wanted yell "there's no such thing as free healthcare!". You can pay for it by writing a check to your doctor for the full amount before an appointment. You can pay for it in the form of lower wages and a $25 copay by letting your employer arrange it for you. You can pay for a whole year's worth of healthcare on April 15 and then just flash an ID card for an appointment but YOU are still paying for it.
The problem with letting the government do it for you is that you end up with much less healthcare available. Just the large number of seriously ill Canadians who come to the U.S. every year because they can't get timely or effective treatment in Canada. Or you could ask any of the pregnant women from Vancouver who had to be flown to the U.S. to deliver because there weren't anymore beds available. You could also ask the people on a three year waiting list to see a pain manager in Canada. You get the idea.
Folks, there are definitely things we could do better in the U.S. but putting the government in charge isn't one.