Free might be difficult to achieve, but it is entirely dishonest to suggest that how much something costs is a static thing and that all you ever do is shift the price. The difference between good economic policy and bad economic policy is that the former does make things all around more accessible. For instance, I don't think there would be much rising interest in single payer in the US if the cost of healthcare wasn't so out of control. If paying some more in taxes saves the average person from a crippling debt that they can't avoid later on, it's better for everybody all around.