A citizen's guide to America's most debated policy-in-waitingAfter languishing for decades on the fringes of political discussion, Medicare-for-All has quickly entered the mainstream debate over what to do about America's persistent healthcare problems. But for most informed Americans, this surge of public and political interest in Medicare-for-All has outpaced a strong understanding of the issues involved. This book seeks to fill this gap in our national discourse, offering an expert analysis of the policy and politics behind Medicare-for-All for theinformed American.

Largely privately funded with relatively little public regulation, the United States healthcare system is both expensive and inefficient, providing poor care to large parts of the population. For decades, Americans have wrestled with how to fix their broken healthcare system. In this razor-sharp contribution to the healthcare debate, leading economist and former adviser to Bernie Sanders Gerald Friedman recommends that we build on what works: a Medicare system that already efficiently provides healthcare for millions of Americans. Rejecting the discredited idea that healthcare should be treated like any other commodity, Friedman shows that healthcare is distinctive and can be best provided only through universal program of social insurance. Deftly exposing the absurdities of the opponents of reform, Friedman shows in detail how the solution to our health care crisis is staring us in the face: enroll everyone in Medicare to improve the health of all Americans. This bold and brilliantly argued book is essential reading for anyone who wants to see Congress and the White House act to provide America with a 21st century healthcare system.

Long thought of as an idealistic but unrealistic proposition promoted by far-left activists, single-payer health care has become a major discussion point across the political landscape. Bernie Sanders made it a central focus of his insurgent 2016 run for the Democratic presidential nomination against Hillary Clinton. House Democrats' messaging on health care in the 2018 midterm elections, and the burgeoning campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, have elevated single-payer even further, bringing the issue to the center of American politics. Surprisingly, however, few books have examined the impact of a single-payer health care system in depth--and most of those that have done so come from a leftist perspective supporting this dramatic change. This vacuum in the current literature cries out for a work making the case against single payer--one which educates the American people about the damaging effects of this proposed health care takeover. Written for a broad audience ranging from interested citizens to leaders in the conservative movement, The Case Against Single Payer will explain the harmful implications of giving the federal government unfettered control of the health care system.

American health care is at a crossroads. Health spending reached $3.5 trillion in 2017. Yet more than 27 million people remain uninsured. And it's unclear if all that spending is buying higher-quality care. Patients, doctors, insurers, and the government acknowledge that the healthcare status quo is unsustainable. America's last attempt at health reform -- Obamacare -- didn't work. Nearly a decade after its passage in 2010, Democrats are calling for a government takeover of the nation's healthcare system -- Medicare for All. The idea's supporters assert that health care is a right. They promise generous, universal, high-quality care to all Americans, with no referrals, copays, deductibles, or coinsurance. With a sales pitch like that, it's no wonder that seven in ten people now support Medicare for All. Doctors, especially young ones, are coming around to the idea of single-payer, too. Democrats, led by the progressive wing of the party, hope to capitalize on this enthusiasm. In 2017, they introduced companion legislation in the House and Senate that would establish Medicare for All. They have already promised to do the same when the next Congress convenes in 2019. More than 70 House Democrats have joined a new Medicare for All Caucus. Senator Bernie Sanders is effectively already on the presidential campaign trail, making his case for single-payer. If Democrats take the White House and Senate in 2020, and hold onto the House, a Medicare for All bill could be among the first pieces of legislation presented to the new president for a signature. In this book, Sally C. Pipes, a Canadian native, will make the case against Medicare for All. She'll explain why health care is not a right -- and how progressives pressing for single-payer are making a litany of promises they can't possibly keep. Evidence from government-run systems in Canada, the United Kingdom, and other developed countries proves that single-payer forces patients to withstand long waits for poor care at high cost. First, she'll unpack the Medicare for All plans under consideration in Congress. She'll explain how radical they truly are. Medicare for All will not save $5 trillion, as some of its proponents claim. It will cost about $32 trillion over 10 years, according to analyses from the Urban Institute and the Mercatus Center. It will outlaw private health insurance. It will raise taxes by trillions of dollars. It will cut pay for doctors to the rates paid by Medicare and thereby exacerbate our nation's shortage of physicians. And it will ration care. Then, Sally will detail the horrors of single-payer. She'll start in Canada, whose single-payer system most closely resembles the one progressives have in mind for the United States. Analyses of the government-run systems in the United Kingdom and a few other developed countries will follow, with particular focus on the problems that these systems pose for patients and doctors. To substantiate her indictment of single-payer, Sally will marshal both quantitative and qualitative evidence. She'll highlight how Americans fare better than their peers in Canada and the United Kingdom on the health outcomes that are directly linked to the quality of a healthcare system, including survival rates for patients with cancer and cardiovascular issues. She'll also explain why the health outcomes where the United States performs poorly relative to other nations, like infant mortality and life expectancy, tell us little about our healthcare system. Sally will pepper her text with heart-wrenching stories of the human costs of single-payer -- of people who were injured, were forced to remain in pain, or even died because their government-run healthcare system delayed or denied care. Too often, evangelists for free markets limit their arguments to facts and statistics -- and fail to appeal to the public's emotions. Sally will feature the stories of individuals and families who have been victims of single-payer systems. These vignettes will help drive home the truth about single-payer -- and why it must not come to the United States. She'll conclude with her vision for delivering the affordable, accessible, quality care the American people are looking for.

With the exception of the United States, all developed nations provide their citizens with quality, affordable health care. And, despite its having expanded access through such programs as Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and the Affordable Care Act, nearly 20 million Americans still do not have health insurance. The cost of providing care in the United States will soon be unsustainable. It surely makes sense to consider an option that ensures health care is accessible to all its citizens and is fully funded regardless of vicissitudes in the national economy. This book is a must read for anyone concerned with the failure of the current system and looking for an alternative. Colton’s proposal for universal health care is thoroughly explained including: a description of services provided how we’ll pay for it how it is organized for delivery why it will save consumers money, and how it will ensure standards for quality and clinical effectiveness. “In this incisive and comprehensive book, David Colton take on the formidable task of explaining how America’s health care system works, why it fails in terms of cost, efficiency and quality of care and why it must be reformed... an invaluable resource ...” JILL QUADAGNO, Author, One Nation Uninsured: Why the US Has No National Health Insurance “...an excellent book, making a most unwieldy subject accessible and interesting to read. He deftly brings in pop culture, personal stories, and history in a way that brings this important public policy question come alive...” JULIE SALAMON, author, Hospital “A must read for anyone concerned about America’s health care system, especially those advocating for single-payor and “Medicare for All”... Highly recommended.” STEVEN A. MOSHER, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Health Care Administration

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to increase health insurance quality and affordability, lower the uninsured rate by expanding insurance coverage, and reduce the costs of healthcare overall. Along with sweeping change came sweeping criticisms and issues. This book explores the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act, and explains who benefits from the ACA. Readers will learn how the economy is affected by the ACA, and the impact of the ACA rollout.