So long as both public and private exist, and the existence of private options doesn’t create incentives to erode funding of the public option (that’s the big danger), that’s fine.
People who can afford it choosing private options frees up the queue for the public option. And they’re still funding the public option. Likewise, when the private option innovates, those innovations eventually make their way to the public space. A public option also forces the private facilities to keep costs relatively competitive, even as they do charge for premium service. They can’t go apeshit on charges like the American facilities do.
Alas, private companies are incentivized to push for dismantling the public option, so it’s up to the people to protect it. A less-than-stellar option that’s available to all is definitely something worth having and protecting.
It’s not.
But here in the US, we just die, so.