I am a big proponent of some form of public healthcare but I dislike the fact that many of the people here in the US that are arguing for it will not acknowledge that it's simply going to expensive. They point to the naive out-of-pocket expense in Canada or The Netherlands without acknowledging the true cost of the system in the form of higher taxes. My position is that we can and should afford such expense but one does not do any favors to the debate by dissembling about the cost. If anything, it's ammunition to opponents that can point to your dishonesty in selling the plan.
There are two arguments for universal health care. One is of course the moral aspect of giving poor people the chance to live a healthy life. The other one is that it is less expensive for the society. Or in other words, you pay less taxes.
What is expensive is to let people die in the emergency room instead of letting them see a doctor to get preventive care and necessary help at an early stage to deal with health issues. Expensive is the lack of a health system that prevent the whole population from getting sick unnecessary or for a prolonged time since sick people don't go to work and pay their taxes. Expensive is to have poor homes where children -- who should be the next generation scientists and engineers -- don't get a proper education and diet since their parents are sick.
Of the western world, the USA have the most expensive health system per citizen and at the same time have the lowest percentage of the population with adequate access to doctors and medicine. It doesn't make sense from an economic point of view and it denies the american dream to large percentage of your population.