Our health care costs are insanely high because of greed, allowed by the government. Also, and it applies directly to the problems I'm having with my knee, cancer treatment for several friends & relatives and if someone wants to look further, the US health care industry doesn't always do what's needed and often, they do less because they won't lose as much in malpractice lawsuits.
How is health care funded in Europe? Higher taxation. What is the average unemployment rate and income in European countries? We could also compare the education systems.
I don't know if you heard the comment from Mitt Romney that likely cost him the election, but he said that roughly 47% in the US don't pay income tax. As the link notes, he was right about the percentage but wrong about the reasons they don't pay- it's because of low income, not loopholes (which can allow people to skirt taxation, but generally not if they're below the top income brackets). The US has millions of people working minimum wage jobs and they can't afford higher taxation, so it's up to the middle and high income people to pay.
Congress is unlikely to make changes in taxation and regulation in many areas because they won't be re-elected and they would lose money from lobbyists.