[graemep]

Look at most continental European systems, or developed Asia - some form of government backed insurance is usual:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_health_insurance

Singapore has an individual fund system if I understand it correctly, and that provides extremely good value for money.

One big difference is that these systems are less centralised and therefore less bureaucratic, less prone to political tinkering, and they reduce the problems of lack of accountability and incentives for efficiency.