I was 22 years in a government run healthcare system - for the US military. On the whole, we received excellent care. But because it was "free" care, the waiting room was always full (i'd say if there had been a co-pay of any kind, half of the people in the waiting room would have stayed away). You would just show up if you were sick - and wait and wait. There was no choice of doctors. If they had the equipment, you would get the prescribed test. If treatment were deemed urgent, they would medivac you to a specialist. And of course if you were a General or an Admiral (active duty or retired) (or the wife of...) you would go to the head of the line and receive special treatment.

However, the VA medical care given to my dad was so awful that my dad quit going there. Their "approved" treatments didn't cover the medicines or tests he needed. His treatment there was nothing short of a nightmare. If that is the kind of gov't run health care we have to look forward to, I dread it.