US Healthcare... Seriously, whats wrong with helping people ?

Ok so I'm a little confused. If universal public healthcare is "socialist" and therefore totally Un American then so surely is universal public education and universal public defense no? As I understand it the US government through the collection of taxes at federal and state levels provides access to education for all US children irrespective of race, religion, wealth or the political persuasion of their parents.. If parents don't like the public school system and are fortunate enough to be able to afford a private option for their kids then no one vilifies them for making that choice. If a wealthy individual or a corporation on behalf of their staff doesn't think the local police and fire departments can adequately protect their family then they have every right to hire private security to shadow their every move. So this being the case why should the model be so different in the third core social requirement of healthcare ?

If America's ok with public schools and public emergency services then why then does the simple idea that the state should ensure a basic level of healthcare be available to all irrespective of means strike such an ugly nerve through the population? Sadly because “socialising” an already “for profit” system is a much harder mutation than adding a “private” option to an already established “socialist” frame.

If you want to stick with the current system yet curb medical expenses for all then stop being so litigious, curb ridiculous malpractice judgments that inflate the insurance fees that obviously filter down to all, cap the profit margin at healthcare and insurance providers or heaven forbid possibly make the whole system a non for profit enterprise run for the benefit of the people just as seems to work quite well with the non socialist schools system and the non socialist fire department.