I only recently discovered this law the other day but I think more people should be aware of it. The US has universal healthcare of sorts, but only in emergency cases:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency..._Labor_Act
Key bit:
"Patients cannot face criminal prosecution for failure to pay, even if the patient came to the hospital aware of inability to pay. Hospitals and third-party agents may not threaten patients with prosecution as a means of scaring the patient into making payment."
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency..._Labor_Act
Key bit:
"Patients cannot face criminal prosecution for failure to pay, even if the patient came to the hospital aware of inability to pay. Hospitals and third-party agents may not threaten patients with prosecution as a means of scaring the patient into making payment."