We've had some form of universal coverage at least since the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act was passed in 1986
Which, of course, is the most expensive way to go. You have people who can't pay visiting the emergency room for an ear infection or the flu. And that cost gets passed on to everyone else, which is why that single Tylenol tablet in your hospital room costs $10.
But, as with many things, the politics around this issue is all about feels over reals.