Canadian medicare is under siege, as is evidenced by the Prime Minister promising sums of money to the provinces to stave off total collapse of the system.
None are problem-free but all have features that can be incorporated into a Canadian system.
One year ago in Vienna, I spoke with a representative of the Austrian Medical Association about how the health-care system operates in that country. Health insurance is compulsory to all Austrians. As a percentage of the wage it is indexed to inflation. The employer pays half the premium and the employee pays the other half. There is also a portion paid by the local areas that varies from district to district.