And scooters: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/p...
And we subsidise cars for the disabled: http://www.motability.co.uk/cars-and-wavs/
1.) There is a very common assumptions in the USA that because a State funds healthcare, the individual is not allowed choice of doctor, which is incorrect in every public healthcare system I have used.
2.) That public or state run health care system is not substandard or less efficient to the American private system, but actually generally better for just about everyone.
3.) That if every American paid a flat 18% tax for healthcare (instead of any healthcare insurance premiums, whether paid directly by you, or by your employer), then the American government nationalised all American healthcare, every American should then receive at least a $4000 tax rebate. Then again your government could use that money fund better schools and universities.
[EDIT] And by-the-way, the UK Government still spends less than the American Government on every citizen, on healthcare. The American government spends $4437 per every single American citizen every year on healthcare. By contrast, the UK spends $2919 per person, every year. You tell me which tax payer is getting better value for money.
http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/jun/30/healthc...
There are some very powerful, vested interests, namely the insurance and drug companies, that do not want public healthcare.
I am completely suspicious of private, for profit healthcare.
Are you seriously telling me that private healthcare is better? (Okay, private healthcare is better for the maybe the top 1% who can pay for their healthcare out of pocket, but if that is not you, the public system is better.) If I change employer, and therefore insurance policy and/or provider, I will never have to think about previous conditions that may not be covered with my new employer, for instance.