Well it's also nowhere near "public". For the most part we're talking about private hospitals and private insurance companies, the combination of which have failed to bring U.S. healthcare costs in line with the rest of the world.

Don't simply blame "regulation" either. Many industries are regulated, some heavily so, and still manage to produce companies that are profitable and efficiently deliver good products.

I don't think we'll see a real solution to the healthcare system in America until we stop treating it like it's just like any other industry.