Is A Single-Payer Option Possible?

In the current political climate of sloganeering politicians touting their plans for better healthcare, many terms have been used and the definitions are unclear. It is important for these distinctions to be made.

Single-Payer System:

Single-Payer national health insurance is a system in which a single entity (the government) organizes healthcare financing but the delivery of care remains largely in private hands

Under the single-payer system (such as Medicare for All), all residents of the U.S. would be covered for all medical necessary services which include:

• Doctor

• Hospital

• Preventative 

• Long Term Care

• Mental Health

• Reproductive Health

• Dental

• Vision

• Prescription Drugs

• Medical Supply Cost

According to Physicians for National Health Program (PNHP) “The program would be funded by the savings obtained from replacing inefficient, profit-oriented multiple insurance payers with a single stream-lined, non-profit public payer and by “modest new taxes” based on ability to pay. Health insurance premiums would disappear and 95% of all households would save money.

Patients would pay no co-pays or deductibles and would regain free choice of their doctors and hospital. Doctors would regain autonomy over patient care.

Is this Socialized Medicine System?

NO. In a Socialized Medicine System, the hospitals are owned by the government and medical doctors are salaried employees of the system. The government regulates what treatments are covered and what and how much will be paid.

Affordable Care Act:

The Affordable Care Act passed in 2010 under President Barrack Obama is also known as Obamacare, made it possible for millions of Americans to become insured. It is not a single-payer system.

Another source, healthinsurance.org indicates that the law includes premium subsidies and cost-sharing designed to reduce the costs of coverage for Americans who qualify.

Universal Health Coverage:

Universal Health Coverage means that all residents have health coverage, but does not necessarily mean that the coverage is single-payer or provided by one source. Not to be confused with Single-Payer. Single-Payer health coverage may also be considered universal health insurance, but only has one single-payer.

Do U.S. Doctors Support a Single-Payer (Medicare for All) System?  

The American Medical Association will remain opposed to all proposals for the U.S. to create a single-payer healthcare system. The group voted narrowly to maintain its stance at its Annual House of Delegates meeting held in Chicago on June 11, 2019.

Delegates of the largest Physicians organization voted 53% to 47% against adopting an amendment to remove AMA’s formal opposition to the single-payer healthcare system, ending a long contentious debate that pitted the AMA’s leadership against a contingent represented largely by medical students.

There is a growing number of doctors that are fed-up with bureaucratic hassles, paperwork, and meddling imposed on them by the private insurance-based system. National and state surveys of physicians have shown a marked shift toward support for a single-payer system.

Public Opinion on Single-Payer, National Health Plans and Expanding Access to Medical Coverage.

KKF has long surveyed the trends of public opinion in regard to healthcare issues. In a recent survey, public opinion was at 56% in support of a single-payer system. The current political climate plays a role in that. Presidential Candidate, Bernie Sanders has the most popular Single-Payer Plan, Medicare-for-All. 

Trends show a rising percentage of public support when people hear no insurance premiums, no co-pays, and no deductibles. That all goes away. Sounds great.

Support for Medicare-for-All shifts dramatically downward when people hear arguments about potential tax increases or delays in medical tests and treatment.

Further decrease in support can be expected when the public learns they cannot keep their current health insurance coverage.

A Single-Payer System is Possible but is it Plausible?
The Devil is in the Details!

Sources: pnhp.org, balance.com, kkf.org, Modern HealthCare