Bernice: Truth is, it's not really free.  People are paying for it.  Someone has to.  But I do agree with you that people needing care should be able to get it regardless of ability to pay.  We do have free clinics in the US and in some States, hospitals cannot turn away patients because of an inability to pay. 

One of the biggest factors for lowering health care costs is for people to take care of themselves.  Exercise, watch what one eats, and live a healthy life.  People who smoke but want free health care should have to quit smoking or pay their own way.  But that gets into a slippery slope into other life style issues and it's not likely to become a policy.  I'm a tad overweight and there is no excuse for it when I have all the available info for staying healthy.  I have several gyms close by, a beautiful walking path very close to my home, and a treadmill in my garage.  If my weight is causing me problems (it will if I don't get off my butt) then I should do something about it.  Living healthy costs us nothing.  Yet people often don't put for the effort.  I'm for personal responsibility first.  Government help as a last resort and then only very temporary.  And the Federal govt is incompetent.  They should guard the boarders, protect the constitution, and stay out of our lives.