After growing up in Germany I feel that health care is a basic human right in an advanced society. Looking at this from simply a utilitarian standpoint, a country invests a lot of resources into its citizens and residents. Having a healthy population ultimately determines the future strength of a country. Not taking good care of the health of the people seems rather foolish when looked at from this perspective!

I think that the US system is plagued by a lot of inefficiencies and greed that makes essential medications unaffordable for many people. The Insulin price crisis is a frightening example for this. Insulin is a drug that has no patent protection and can be manufactured pretty cheaply. Somehow the few manufacturers that can sell it in the US have managed to make it much more expensive than in other countries. There are many stories of people who die as they have to ration their insulin because of the high price that they have to pay. Or they resort to use insulin that is meant for animals! Maybe you remember how conservatives where railing against "death panels" when the affordable care act was created? Well, in the American system people die of ailments that could be easily treated because pharma companies squeeze higher and higher profits from their customers. It looks like Darwinian selection against the condition of being poor!