Matt, remember that these people who have public ensurance would have no health care at all in the USA. Under socialized medicine you can still choose to use the money you pay to an ensurance company to buy private insurance instead. But most people dont do that because, like in the US, its too expensive.

Ive had jaw surgery and a brace for 3 years. I hardly had waiting times in the hospital or to make an appointement, the service was friendly, I had enough oppertunity to speak with my surgeons, and stuff like the food and bedrooms in the hospital were all great. And I never paid anything extra.

But perhaps in Britain its different. On the other hand there just arent enough donor organs for transplants after cancer and all sorts of diseases. Waiting lines for that are many years and might effect the average sevely, but that would be the case in the US as well ofcourse if everyone could get transplants.