Leftists claim the government should run health care. How well does that work?

The blog "PJ Media" ran a story on how ghastly Britain's National Health Service was. 

The story prompted an American commenter to relate his own experience with health care here in the U.S., in an argument with a citizen of Canada--which has nationalized (i.e. government-run) health care:

I once had an argument with a Canadian woman about health care, before Obama and the Democrats destroyed the American health care system.

A few months earlier I'd gotten tired of my knee hurting, so on Monday I called my doctor, who referred me to an orthopedic specialist in town.  The Ortho's office set me up for an appointment Wednesday for an MRI scan.

They did the MRI, and the next day I met the ortho Dr.  On Friday they operatied for a torn anterior cruciate ligament and was home that evening.

At the time my private health insurance cost about $340 a month for my whole family [wife and 4 kids]. Whole thing cost me maybe $200 out of pocket.

The Canadian woman called me a liar, insisting it simply wasn't possible to get an MRI, diagnosis and surgery that fast and at such a low cost.  She insisted that by definition the American health care system had to be worse than the perfect Canadian one.

I had a somewhat similary experience:  I lost the ability to move one eye in one direction, giving me double-vision.  Because that can be caused by a brain tumor, I went to the ER on a national holiday.  In 30 minutes I'd been examined and was getting an MRI--on a holiday weekend.  Very impressive.

Citizens of socialist nations have almost a religious faith in the State, such that they will reject any fact that doesn't comport with their faith.