>>1
Basic care (that is, the stuff aiming at PREVENTION of more serious health developments) is "cheap stuff". Prevention measures are what any civil society should be providing as a part of the benefits package a citizen enjoys.
And remember: Even cheaper, free health care is better than NO HEALTH CARE, which is what America's stupid system has now. We let people get so fucking ill that by the time they MUST have care, it's severe and very expensive to treat.
In other words, the system you want is one that is
penny wise, dollar foolish. The system you LOVE is the one that is bleeding federal and state budgets DRY.