This is why socializing medicine is such a terrible idea in the long run.
It has worked well for over 50 years. The problem is, in Alberta, which I am most familiar with, my mom spending almost two days in the ER before being moved to an orthopedic ward, and then into a single room, outfitted with two beds, there was a premier who was extremely right wing and in the pockets of business. But not in a profitable way, but in a kind of cronism way. He wanted to pretend he cut expenses, but all he did was cut back on doctor and nurse placements, meaning we got behind by hundreds of doctors and thousands of nurse and other medical technical people. No new hospitals were built in an urban area that now has over 1 million people, in probably 40 years. And the population has tripled in that time. (This premier also sold off utilities, which resulted in huge profits for his buddies, oh yes and lots of kick backs. As for the consumers, privatization resulted in utilities quadrupling.
Having moved back to BC. I was in shock how much less I was paying for all utilities. And just in case anyone wants to know, we have water generated electricity, no supposed damage to the environment. (We won't count all those dams down the Columbia River!)
But at least everyone is covered, and it is free. Probably a flat rate monthly for health care if it could be directed to health care, would help a lot. But no politicians seem inclined to do that. Just cut back on stuff, not tell people, and be sure to be out of office when things fall apart because of neglect! I guess that is the shortsighted drawback of socialized medicine.