The English NHS is held up as a model... (NSFW)

For Obamacare.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-203452/Ambulances-reject-999-callers.html

Now, they're trying to triage incoming calls to determine whether an ambo crew is really needed - or if it's just the typical waste of resources by users.

Do we want to head in this direction as well?  Frankly, I blame the people on this one, more than I do the regulators.  It's similar to people going to an ER for the sniffles here - and end up getting sent home with an order for rest & fluids, because we have a cure for ZERO viral diseases (and most URIs, the common cold, and the grippe are all viral in origin.)

It's just as bad - because now you've got people running to the ER, and exposing people who are already actually ill to another viral illness - when their immunities are already compromised due to genuine major illness or trauma.

People, everything is not a fucking emergency!  Chances are, you can stay home and save us all the trouble & risk, and save the resources of the ER for the people who actually need them - and can get beneficial use out of them!

I think this is the direction that socialized medicine is doomed to take, until people get out of the "entitlement mentality" and learn what constitutes a genuine emergency and what does not.