[ctdonath2]

Under private care, “rationing” is worked out between the patient, doctor, and insurance to their mutual satisfaction.

Under public care, “rationing” is imposed unilaterally by the government - other parties involved have no say.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

From yesterday's WSJ, Blogger Megan McArdel writing at theAtlantic.com:Goods rationed by fiat rather than price have a tendency to disappear, decline in quality, etc. Government tends to prefer queues to prices. This makes people worse off, since their time is worth much more than price they would pay for the goods.
Providers of fiat rationed goods have little incentive to innovate or even produce adequate supplies. if other sectors are not controlled, the highest quality providers have a tendency to exit.