Implementation of Single Payer System

You must also respond to one of your classmates’ posts prior to Saturday night at 11:59 pm. For follow up posts, you want to add something new to what was already posted (find a case study on the topic and summarize the findings, find a research study and share the statistical findings with the class, provide a real world example of the topic to the class, etc). The post should be at least 250 words.

the advantages of a single-payer system. Why are any attempts to reform the US Healthcare system not based on the single-payer approach?

As our book states, a single-payer system in the United States would be similar to Medicaid’s program, in which beneficiaries get tax-financed healthcare, but with more controls on how that healthcare is delivered. An advantage of a single- payer system is “universal coverage” for all. Everyone would have health insurance under a one health insurance plan, and have access to necessary services including doctors, hospitals, long-term care, prescription drugs, dentist and vision care. However, individuals may still choose where they receive care. It is a lot like Medicare however, a single-player system would not have any eligibility criteria like Medicaid and Medicare. Another advantage to a single-player system would be a healthier population. People would have access to coverage meaning they would be able to obtain preventative services.

When people do not have coverage or access to quality coverage, they lose out on many benefits. When compared to other countries the healthcare spending per capita in the US is significantly higher than any other nation in the world. With a single-payer system there would be reduced spending per capita. Although universal coverage for all Americans sounds ideal tax burden would roughly double for tax payers.

Another reason the US healthcare system is not based on a single-payer approach is due waiting times for procedures increasing. In 2017, Canadians were on a waiting list for an estimated 1,040,791 total procedures including surgery for, hip, knew, ankles and shoulders. The estimated wait time was 20 weeks to 52 weeks. Lasty, many believe government-run health care cannot deliver on its promises and that it would impose unprecedented taxes on Americans, deliver subpar care to patients, and put government in charge of personal health care decisions.

References

Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2010). Essentials of the US health care system. In Essentials of the US health care system (p. 341). Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett.

Baldacci, M. (n.d.). Why single-payer would make health Care worse for Americans. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.heritage.org/health-care-reform/commen…