[Kalium]

It should also be remembered that various levels of the American government have a record with public provision that is at best mixed. Walter Reed, anyone? Psychiatric institutions in the 80s and before?

When you have a distressingly high chance of getting a terrible system, you wind up somewhat skeptical of people who want to tear down what's already in place and do public provisioning. Good and pure intentions are not an adequate substitute for competence.

[jimbokun]

Of course, you cannot seriously associate "competence" with the current US free market healthcare system.

[Kalium]

Depends a great deal on one's definition of "competent". If you define it by outcomes for those with access to service, it does reasonably well. If you define it by access to service, it does poorly.

The fear is that a system that works for some will be replaced by system that everyone can access but works for nobody.