A lot has to do with the careful and deliberate program of those in government who support socialized medicine to make private medical solutions almost impossible, and then constantly deriding them for failures.

You're right in that socialized medicine is probably inevitable. Americans are not educated in even the simplest economics, and the Free Lunch seems perfectly reasonable to many. And when we have a Yugo health care system, and nowhere else on the socialized planet to turn when that fails, "I told you so" is going to be small comfort.

Health care is expensive now because the market forces that drive prices and demands have been completely shorted out, mostly by inserting massive government subsidies into most of it, but also because expecations for even private insurance have become unreasonable. The average American expects his health care to cost him "nothing," whether covered by government or by insurance. The indignation of those forced to make a small fifteen dollar "copayment" has to be seen to be believed.

Naturally, a commodity that is perceived to have no price will be in huge demand, and the providers, who have no real cost feedback from customers, will charge the government or insurers whatever they can get.

When the government takes over, and the market system is totally shut down, the only possible solution--if the country is not to collapse into bankruptcy under demands by 300 million for advanced health care--will be, of course, severe rationing. At the bidding of our Lords in Washington, naturally. The doctors will be, for all intents and purposes, Federal employees. Those with political pull will get the care they need, or those who can afford to work outside the system.