If efficiency is the goal Canuck, then there should be no government involvement. Involving a third party adds cost to most transactions especially when that third party adds no value, but rides along purely due to it's parasitic nature. It's like the "buddy" we've probably all had that goes to get you a zip and pockets several buds for himself and jacks the price to you...He added no value. Wouldn't it be better/cheaper if the consumer dealt more directly with the service provider rather than adding layers of bureaucracy?
It is noble to want to help people that have a difficult time affording health care, but not so noble to force those who may not want to participate to comply or to make them bear the cost for another they don't have any desire to. How would you overcome that? Would you "permit" those people the ability to not participate or would you make them do something they have no desire to do?
I agree with you that corporations will favor legislation that makes them more money even if the legislation forces people to do things they prefer not to. So wouldn't the answer be to have less regulation and allow more players into the field, permitting prices to drop?
Back to the weed analogy...if your "buddy" above has the only connection in town, you're kind of stuck, but what happens to prices
when more players enter the market to provide services? Prices drop. This is true in any market, black market or otherwise.
Costs for services are more competitive (they drop) when the market is freed, not when it is artificially restricted by being illegal or by limiting free market competition. What will happen to weed prices when it becomes legal and more people can sell it? Prices will drop, your "buddy" just like his government health care administrator parasite counter part will have to find something else to do.
Hope you're not mad, but I touched your avatar again. I swear I heard a moan.