I don't know why my liberals friends are unhappy with the current health care system.

A poor person can walk into any emergency room and get critical health care treatment, and never pay a bill.

There are only about a hundred serious problems with this situation--which is why it is often quoted by conservatives as an example of how well our system functions. I'll take a crack of a few of the most obvious reasons:

First, emergency room treatment is expensive. So if your going to treat non-emergencies on the public's dime, the ER is a poor place to do it. From a strict cost basis, it would make much more send to fund walk-in clinics and leave the ERs for emergencies. Good luck selling that one to Republicans.

Next, not paying a bill isn't the same as not getting a bill.

Next, ERs are great for emergencies, not so great for other things. If you have asthma, as I do, in the event of a serious attack the ER will give you an injection terbutaline or epinephrine but they won't provide inhalers for daily control.

If a diabetic goes into hypoglycemic shock, he'll get treatment at the ER, and they will amputate a diabetic's gangrenous foot. But they won't give him a check up, supply insulin, or provide dietary advice that would have prevented the ER visit in the first place.

If you break an arm, the ER will put a cast on it, but you don't get physical therapy so you retain full use of the limb when the cast comes off.

And your last comment:

The bills are paid by "the rich" who have insurance.

And you don't see a problem with that?