It's not quite the case, is the explanation, and even if it was, that would always be the case, for RICH PEOPLE.
Why are we so concerned about catering to the rich people, when the overwhelming majority in every developed nation are working class middle class people? Why should we even care if rich people can jump the line? Let them, they're going to no matter what system is in operation.
Even in today's America, even in the America of the recent past prior to the ACA, we had an enormous number of nonprofit hospitals and clinics in operation all over the country. We have had a large number of university hospitals. Right here in Los Angeles, we have the UCLA medical system.
Do wealthy local celebrities go there? No, most of them go to Saint John's Medical Center in Santa Monica, a very expensive private hospital, even though UCLA is only a couple of miles East of it. So what?
Moderate Right, if you are wealthy, then use those private hospitals, use them with everyone's blessings.
For everyone else however, the FACTS about Canada's system are thus:
They, unlike the United States, DID set up a SOCIALIZED system. Canada in 1967 had a population of UNDER 20 million people.
Florida and New York State both have larger populations today than Canada had back when their government BUILT their clinic and hospital infrastructure.
In 1967 the United States already HAD a vast network of hospitals and clinics, Canada did not. Canada's system is NOT JUST SINGLE PAYER, sorry...you are incorrect. Canada's system is SINGLE PAYER SOCIALIZED. And they have a private free market system which operates ALONGSIDE of it, mostly for elective procedures.
Single payer systems ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY SOCIALIZED systems. Try and get that, please.
ANY free market private system can operate under single payer, it just means that one major entity is paying for the services.
The existing free market system is not affected because people who can afford to skip single payer can and continue to do so as they always do.