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How free do you want it? Emergency healthcare is free at point of service in the US. Most other healthcare is covered partially or entirely if you're employed, which you should be. I've had hundreds of thousands of dollars of inpatient medical care for my family that I paid nothing for. Every other metric just starts to deal with the impact of taxes on the definition of free. I'm sure there are countries with systems that are fuzzier feeling to use, but this one works just fine until someone invents infinite unlimited free doctors to replace it.

>>llbbdd+(OP)
I agree the US system mostly works for well-employed people.

It is worth recognizing though that not all employed people get medical benefits. Indeed many minimum wage jobs, low income jobs, "casual" jobs etc come with no medical benefits.

It's also worth noting that I some states it's OK to get fired for being sick. At which point you may lose those benefits.

Plus in poor economic times (like being a federal worker right now) losing your medical because you lost your job, seems like a suboptimal outcome.

But I agree with your last statement, this system works just fine, for a large enough group, so there's little political incentive to change it.

>>llbbdd+(OP)
> Emergency healthcare is free at point of service in the US.

The same as any fancy restaurant meal is free: They gonna bill ya later