Balto, if all the people (and businesses) currently paying insurance premiums paid those into the single-payer system as (gasp!) taxes, that must be enough to pay for all the medical care (for reasons below). 

1. This new system would have negotiating power with which to drive down pharmaceutical prices and eliminate other excessive costs. 

2. Preventive care is often less expensive than acute care, and if everyone were covered, preventive care would be much more likely. 

3. No insurance company advertising costs, excessive administration, profits, etc.

4. If everybody else in the world can do it (that is, cover everyone with better care at lower per-person cost), why can't we? Are we stupid? 

But you raise a legitimate question: If people are ideologically opposed to taxes -- and would rather have a screwed-up system with high premiums, inadequate coverage, many people not covered at all, etc. -- then what can we do? Not much. 

But claiming that we can't afford it is hogwash.