The key to understanding this whole issue is that as long as the patient needs ready cash (to pay for medical care) in order to stay alive, and keep those he loves alive, he must do whatever it takes to get that cash. This means working.

For purposes of pure animal survival, he must subordinate all other priorities and direct all surplus resources to that end, and those who employ him will always enjoy a limitless supply of labor willing, even desperate, to work. It works splendidly in their favor, so of course they have no incentive to change, much less reform, the system. In fact, they will bitterly oppose any effort to do so.

Unfortunately, whether or not one can work, and the terms under which one does work, is not controlled by the worker, but the employer. And if you can't earn enough to pay for your medical care, for whatever reason, you are at risk. The attitude of the employer is "Tough shit, that's not my problem".

I have learned from bitter personal experience that regardless of how hard I've worked, saved and sacrificed, the only way I can afford to retire (or even live) with some amount of dignity is with government-subsidized medical care. Without that I would still have to work, until the moment I died, was too sick to go on, or my medical costs exceeded my ability to earn. Again, the response of my employer has always been "Tough shit, that's not my problem".

Of course, one way or another, someone has to pay, and a government subsidy that guarantees everyone some minimal level of health care is going to be financed by taxes from everyone, even those who will wind up paying more for this benefit than they would spend if only they were in the market for health care. It will also be indirectly financed by those who have become addicted to a labor pool ready to work for less and less in order to have any access at all to that care. Needless to say, this does not work in their favor. And my response to them is "Tough shit, that's not my problem."