"The reality is these systems are bankrupting themselves in almost every country that has them"
All those countries with exception of greece and the uk are less "bankrupt" then america. None of them spend even 10 percent of their economy on healthcare.
If it is bankrupting them, for arguments sake, what is the alternative? Let individuals bankrupt themselves over healtcare bills or die from nontreatment. There really is no "civilized" choice except universal care.
The argument you're basically making is "Our system doesn't work but your system works less so use our system". The problem with that argument is it doesn't change the fact that your system doesn't work.
As for a solution my personal preference is for a baseline supported free market. I face the reality that no society will ever let people die on the street (most single payer advocates ignore the fact that it's illegal for a U.S. hospital to turn away a sick person regardless of whether they can pay). So I have no problem with the Government providing health care for debilitated people.
I also have no problem with free preventative care because it's in society's best interest (being we'll have to provide for the person if they become debilitated).
But I'm for the free market providing those services to the Government. Beyond that I endorse a free market system for individuals in regards to the in-between stuff (broken legs, cosmetic surgery, etc...)
"""The argument you're basically making is "Our system doesn't work but your system works less so use our system". The problem with that argument is it doesn't change the fact that your system doesn't work."""
Isn't that the standard argument for capitalism trotted by free marketsrs. If it's OK for them, why isn't OK for socialized services.
Tangent: I've never seen a free-marketer say the market doesn't work. Doesn't always work, sure. Isn't a magical fairy that makes everything perfect, absolutely. But not work at all? I'm fairly sure you have to think that markets work to support free markets.
All those countries with exception of greece and the uk are less "bankrupt" then america. None of them spend even 10 percent of their economy on healthcare.
If it is bankrupting them, for arguments sake, what is the alternative? Let individuals bankrupt themselves over healtcare bills or die from nontreatment. There really is no "civilized" choice except universal care.