Left & Right Unite — Demand It Now! 

Tell lawmakers: Grow a spine.Support family values.

 DELIVER UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE to all Americans by passing Expanded and Improved #MedicareforALL Legislation, as a basic Human Right. Universal Healthcare is essential to our well-being and to the economic stability of our nation. #MedicareForAll, a Universal Healthcare, Single-Payer Coverage for all

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What's in a name for U.S. healthcare transformation?

WILLIAM N DAVIS II

JUN 03, 2025

 

Unfortunately, there is no name that encapsulates all of the features envisioned by Physicians for a National Health Program. (pnhp.org)

Reimagining healthcare in the U.S. is on the minds of many and in those minds are lots of conflicting pictures of a very large and extremely complex sick-care profit-hungry non-system.

What would the transformation to an efficient, effective system of care look like?

What can we call it so that everyone understands what we’re talking about?

It’s complicated!

Let’s define some terms used by activists, politicians and the media.

 

Universal, comprehensive care would be all medically necessary care, including dental, optical, hearing, mental health and long-term care for all in the U.S. when they need it, where they need it and for as long as they need it.

 

Single Payer is a major goal of a public payment system that eliminates insurance company costs, is simple and efficiently run by government agency like Medicare or a non-profit contractor. The term used by many still doesn’t resonate well with many especially on Capitol Hill.

 

Medicare for All is what some groups call the end all and be all for healthcare. Medicare isn’t perfect, but what isn’t in the name is that Medicare would be improved to cover the necessary care that is not covered presently and expanded to cover everyone also unlike the present Medicare which is primarily for senior citizens, disabled and others.

 

Medicaid is a program for people in poverty. It was expanded under the ACA, but not every state implemented it, so not everyone has benefited at the same time across the country. Some like medicaid and would like Medicaid for All. It covers dental, optical, hearing and long-term care. But others find Medicaid to be a “hunting license” for those who can manage to find a doctor or other service that will accept the payment rates of the Medicaid carrier or the state.

 

Universal Health Care is another goal, to cover everyone, not just more groups who are now covered because they had the political clout to get it done for their constituents.

 

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or ACA/Obamacare passed during the Obama Administration was a boon to insurance companies in that it mandated everyone buy insurance from an exchange and those who didn’t would be charged by the IRS in April. As positive as the ACA was, it did not contain costs and it was not universal or covering everyone. So, it was just another reform on the trail to universal, single payer healthcare.

 

This year, 2025, we will see bills submitted named to include words like Family and Business Health Security Act.

 

That’s more catchy, or so the surveys say.

 

Summarizing the features of universal, comprehensive, single-payer healthcare:

Everybody in, nobody left out.

Portability: change jobs, get divorced, lose your job, etc, - You won't lose coverage

 

Same benefits available for everyone.

 

Everyone gets healthier – since care is available

 

Choose your own Physician/Hospital – in any state.

 

Ends insurance industry interference with care and medications

 

Ends 40 to 50% of $$ going to profits, lobbying, CEO salaries, and marketing of insurance companies.

 

No Copays or deductibles or premiums 9. Common sense budgeting – set by independent non-profit board

 

Public-> oversight, accountability, and enforcement of those who commit crime or fraud!

 

 

From "10 Excellent Reasons for National Health Care", edited by O'Brien and Livingston - The New Press

 

IT'S GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH

 

IT COSTS LESS AND SAVES MONEY IT WILL ASSURE HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS, RICH OR POOR

 

IT'S THE BEST CHOICE-MORALLY AND ECONOMICALLY

 

IT MAY BE A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH IT WILL LET DOCTORS AND NURSES FOCUS ON PATIENTS, NOT PAPERWORK

 

IT WILL REDUCE HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES

 

IT WILL ELIMINATE MEDICAL DEBT

 

IT WILL BE GOOD FOR LABOR AND FOR BUSINESS

 

IT'S WHAT MOST AMERICANS WANT-AND WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN

 

Let’s start with some facts about healthcare in the U.S.:

 

The U.S. is the only OECD nation to not have universal healthcare.

 

We pay double the average per capita for care and don’t get average outcomes.

 

Both health insurance and health care cost too much.

 

Americans do not live as long as people in other countries with universal care.

 

We have the most advanced care and medical technology available, yet we have higher rates of maternal and infant mortality than some 3rd world countries.

 

People put off care because they lack insurance needed to get in the door. They fear the cost of things invented by insurers and known only to Americans like deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays, surprise billing and out-of-network pricing.

 

 

So why don’t we have healthcare like in other developed countries?

 

We fear change.

 

There’s money in politics.

 

There’s a lot of money in healthcare, and capitalists want all they can get.

 

Voters are not sufficiently organized for their demand for universal healthcare to be seen through corruption.

 

People are busy with other issues or haven't heard a calling to engage.

 

People have allowed our democracy to be weakened by people who care more about money and power than they do about our human rights: food, shelter, education, healthcare and bodily autonomy.

 

 

Subscribe to William N Davis II

Single Payer Advocate for over 20 years.

Thank you to Bill Davis for permission to use his substack!

 

 

 

In the 119th Congress (2025-2026), there are several bills related to Medicare for All, including H.R. 3069, S. 1506, and others. These bills propose to establish a national health insurance program with universal coverage, comprehensive benefits, and no cost-sharing.

 

Key Bills and their Provisions:

H.R. 3069 (Medicare for All Act):

This bill aims to create a national health insurance program with universal coverage, comprehensive benefits, and no cost-sharing. It also includes provisions for long-term care coverage, provider participation, and whistleblower protections.

 

S. 1506 (Medicare for All Act):

This Senate bill proposes a similar national health insurance program, focusing on universal coverage and comprehensive benefits, with provisions for a national health budget and regional administration.

 

    Endnotes:

American conservatives espouse principles that align with universal healthcare. “Want Universal Healthcare? Ask a Conservative”, https://medium.com/@idember/want-universal-healthcare-ask-a-conservative-56712a028e74 

 

“The Surprising Conservative Case for Universal Healthcare”,  https://medium.com/@idember/universal-healthcare-the-surprising-conservative-case-656d23617a3a

Free at last! “9 Freedoms of Health Justice”, https://medium.com/@idember/9-freedoms-of-healthcare-justice-5077bdbff9f 

 A hundred more body bags pile up every day — each a preventable tragedy. Hold lawmakers responsible. “On 9/11, Terror Stalks America, But Not Why You Think”, https://medium.com/@idember/on-9-11-terror-stalks-america-but-not-why-you-think-936df7bdf94a 

“Lethal Lottery: Shirley Jackson’s Horror Tale Times Ten Thousand, For Real”,  https://medium.com/@idember/lethal-lottery-shirley-jacksons-horror-tale-times-ten-thousand-for-real-f4a48e1d593b This legislation sits on the desk of every US House member: the Medicare for All Act. See Title II, Sec. 201, Comprehensive Benefits including “preventive benefits and benefits for long-term care”, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3421/text - H8C9D2DE52F224C3EBD7D6EBF80A81A27. Senators have a counterpart, S.1655. 7. Universal care breaks the nonsensical link between employment and healthcare. Do you live in the US? Then you deserve to be fully covered for all needed care. Other nations cover their people for a fraction of the cost and with superior health outcomes. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2024/sep/mirror-mirror-2024

 “Pigs Fly! CBO Admits Medicare for All Will Aid People, Businesses, Economy”, https://medium.com/@idember/pigs-fly-cbo-admits-medicare-for-all-will-aid-people-businesses-economy-e32d72ce59a2

Universal healthcare could save our nation as much as $650 billion a year or more — nearly $820B/yr in 2025 dollars — according to a 200-page analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, a unit headed by a Trump appointee who previously worked on Wall Street. “'Seems Like a Good Policy!' CBO Shows Medicare for All Could Cover Everyone for $650 Billion Less Per Year”, https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/11/seems-good-policy-cbo-shows-medicare-all-could-cover-everyone-650-billion-less-year

Universal healthcare legislation stipulates that you pay no premiums, deductibles or copays. See Note 6. But right now these huge hidden ‘taxes’ drive a half million families a year into bankruptcy, a uniquely American experience we can all live without. https://egberto.substack.com/p/what-healthcare-looks-like-in-norway  

 

Thank you to Ira Dember for assistance with text and end notes.  

      Thank you to Engines of Solidarity for Pictures