A follow up by coldcanuck on another board says it all.

Whereas Americans are inundated with stories of the uninsured getting refused treatment and being hounded to pay outrageous hospital bills (from my readings in the WSJ and other credible media), Canadians are inundated with stories detailing long waits for treatment and procedures even though medical diagnostic equipment often sit unused 16 hours a day and hospital beds sit empty do to a lack of funding. There has to be a happy medium.

A "100% coverage" single payer system isn't the answer. The only thing that will work is health savings accounts with catatrophic coverage starting at about $5000 for a family [ie single payer for costs $5000+].