In terms of costs AND coverage, the US is a massive outlier, and not in a good way. Americans pay vastly more for healthcare than any other country, but also have the highest percentage of uninsured in the modern industrialized world. The ridiculous overall cost of healthcare is an albatross around the neck of the US economy.

As for models the US could/should emulate, there are a number of very successful systems in operation. It's probably not a matter of copying the best one (in isolation), but of seeing which is the best for the realities of US society and using it as a model.

I have nothing but praise for the Japanese system. The care is excellent (cutting edge technology, skilled practitioners) but the cost is far lower. The Japanese system pays 70% or so, but the costs of services, prescriptions, etc. are a fraction of those in the US, so that remaining 30% doesn't amount to much. Shorter wait times to get an appointment, too.