I ask from the perspective of an American, with access to great health care but it’s expensive. If we were going to reinvent health care here, who should we copy?
Here's the lowdown:
- If you can't afford it, the government pays for your insurance
- If you can, you pay for it (nearly everyone can)
- Prices are regulated by the government
- You can not be turned away, and can not be charged more than the regulated amount for your insurance, no matter what
That last one is the killer feature. You could have cancer, and the insurance company still has to take you, and for a monthly price not higher than the maximum the government's put in place.
The Netherlands had a free system like the NHS, but once the quality started going downhill, they looked at reality in the face and built a better system. The standard of healthcare here is amazing!
This isn't a popular narrative in the UK, because it shows how there are more choices than just "completely free" or "U.S.A. style dystopia", which is the argument used there to promote the idea that the NHS can work.
What I can recommend is a great book that compares all the systems, through the lens of an American with the same question you have, called The Healing of America by T.R. Reid. Highly recommended.
Price counts though right? If you can't afford healthcare in the US then for you it's the worst system