Should the U.S. move to a single-payer healthcare system?

Background Information

Debate Question:This is what a short summary question would look like.

Most other developed countries use a single payer healthcare (SPHC) system to cover their citizens at lower cost than the U.S. spends. Those countries cover all or nearly all citizens while in the US many residents lack healthcare coverage.
in favor
against

A SPHC system would facilitate true universal health care coverage. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist In Favor
  • +1 Good Point

Not necessarily. SPHC means all funds come from one payer, usually the government. That’s different from universal coverage. We could cover all Americans with or without SPHC, but either way it would be very costly. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist Against
  • Good Point +1

Other countries spend far less than the US does on healthcare because SPHC holds down costs. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist In Favor
  • +1 Good Point

Other countries spend less than the U.S. on healthcare, but not due to SPHC. Rather it’s because they are willing to make sacrifices that American’s aren’t, such as long waits for procedures and less choice of doctors, hospitals and drugs.

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist Against
  • Good Point +1

Many polls show that a majority of Americans want SPHC. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist In Favor
  • +1 Good Point

Americans may tell pollsters that they want SPHC, but funding it would require a massive tax increase that has no chance of voter acceptance. Vermont and Colorado initially pursued SPHC but voters balked at the proposed tax increases. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist Against
  • Good Point +1

SPHC would free employers from needing to fund healthcare, and economists agree that this would allow them to raise wages substantially. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist In Favor
  • +1 Good Point

There’s no widespread call from employers for SPHC, partly due to skepticism that the government could run such a system successfully. Also, some of the tax increases probably would be levied on employers, so they might not have savings to raise wages even if they wanted to.

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist Against
  • Good Point +1

SPHC would lead to better coordination of treatment and better information flow between doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, labs, etc. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist In Favor
  • +1 Good Point

Medicare is a single payer for older Americans, yet we don’t see those benefits there. 

Zetema PanelistZetema Panelist Against
  • Good Point +1

What do you think?

Should the U.S. move to a single-payer healthcare system?

Should the U.S. move to a single-payer healthcare system?

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