Breaking The Myth In Universal And Single Payer

By J.D Theis

In dealing with health insurance reforms there are two major concepts that are mentioned often- universal coverage and single payer system. These two are closely related yet very different in its implications, effects and applicability. Ordinary people usually put their bet on these two during lobbying period for health reforms without knowing that they are pushing for two entirely different schemes. A universal insurance on health assures that every citizen who belongs to the leadership of that government is an insured individual. On the other hand, a single payer insurance scheme literally means that a single entity, which is most probably the government, is paying for the insurance of everyone or at least a specific group of people.

The main difference of these two insurance concepts can be seen through statistics. In Canada where a universal insurance system is used no citizen is uninsured because they have a government- run universal insurance. On the other hand, countries with multiple payer insurance schemes like the United States of America have at least 46.6 million of uninsured citizens. What do this discrepancy means? This numbers simply means that so far, the universal system for healthcare is outmatching the benefits from a multiple payer system.

Ironically, the USA is adapting a single payer scheme for those who are unfortunate and cannot afford paying insurance premiums. But if the government will only pay for a specific group of people then there is still a possibility that others will still not be insured and as for the case of the United States of America 46.6 million of its population is uninsured. Through this example, it can be assumed that it is possible to have a universal health insurance system without having a single payer system. But having a single payer system without having universal insurance system is theoretically possible, but it is still practically unavailable.

A government cannot bear and shoulder all of the premiums that their citizenry needs without greatly affecting the other sectors of its society. No government is willing to trade one sector for another since they are major sectors that hold great impacts on the stability of the whole government.

Universal medical insurance cannot be matched by other existing insurance systems that exist today. Assuring that everyone is insured even if it will take a public and private sectors combinations is better than maintaining a single payer insurance system while leaving the other citizens barely insured or not at all. - 23211

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