[tsimionescu]

> Be aware that in many single-payer systems, insurance is also tied to working (or unemployment / retirement / pensions).

This is true.

> This means that if you launch a startup, you either need it to be profitable on day one, or you're vasting significant amounts of your money, not just your time.

This is a false dichotomy. First of all, even ignoring health-care, you're still spending money on housing, food, electricity etc. If you're not employed and your startup is not profitable, you're paying money out of pocket to live.

Second of all, even in the USA, you are still going to pay for health insurance even if you are currently founding a startup. You could argue you are allowed to gamble that our health is good enough that you don't need health insurance for a few years, but that's just tossing coins. You could just as well not pay your taxes in the EU for a year or two, and gamble that the authorities will not catch on right away.