A simple solution to all our problems was under our noses the whole time. Expand the VA hospitals with more staff and services, leave big "insurance" alone to compete for non-citizens or people who want private hospital care.
On the deadline for insurance, if a US citizen hasn't purchased private healthcare, they should be enrolled automatically in the "basic healthcare" plan with no fines. Basic care includes access to VA hospital services and doctors who have opted-in to this plan.
Leave the health insurance to the health insurance companies and keep it separate from national healthcare. They are two separate things. We need true reform and that will only come from expanding what we already had in place for our vets and senior citizens.