In a nutshell, because the American private healthcare is not free market. It is a fragmented socialized system run by insurance companies and private hospitals

In a nutshell, because the American private healthcare is not free market. It is a fragmented socialized system run by insurance companies and private hospitals. I am not absolutely convinced that free market medicine is bad, but I am absolutely convinced that the U.S. doesn't have it. As another commenter pointed out, I am not really free to go to any provider I like. I go to the providers dictated by my insurance company and my insurance company is dictated by my employer. I am Canadian, but living in the States. I have experienced both systems, and I can say unequivocally that I vastly prefer the Canadian socialized system. The quality of care that my family has received has been about the same with very little out of pocket in either case, but in Canada, I simply don't have to think about healthcare, ever. It is simply there for me [EDIT: even if I am unemployed].