There is a lot of discussion among politicians about single-payer healthcare, or Medicare for All. Democrats, most notably Sanders and Warren believe strongly in implementing universal health coverage for all US citizens. Other Dems favor some kind of hybrid system, similar to the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. Republicans assert that these systems are socialist in nature, and that free-market health insurance companies should be allowed to compete for providers and patients which they believe will stabilize costs for consumers.
Listen to Healthcare Providers
Figuring out what is best for patients should be the most important issue. What system will allow the most patients the highest quality of healthcare, minimize emergency room visits, and focus on well-care and healthy lifestyle? Politicians can debate policy, but the people best suited to making recommendations for healthcare reform are ultimately the ones who know healthcare the best. Health professionals, doctors, nurses, therapists, etc. have the education and expertise to best lead the discussion of how to insure that Americans have access to the best healthcare available.
By the latter part of the 20th century, doctors were less often running private practices, and more likely employees of hospitals and health systems. By the 1990’s there was a shift toward a more diverse professional medical population as many more women and minorities sought advanced medical degrees. These changing conditions resulted in many professional medical boards and groups supporting the advent of single-payer healthcare as a way to more effectively serve their communities. And these groups are becoming outspoken and politically active. (Time, November 4, 2019)
There has been a dramatic shift left over the past quarter century in political campaign contributions by physicians. 67% of Campaign donations in 1994 went to Republicans. By 2004, that number had dropped to less than 50%. In 2018 more than 80% of their political campaign donations went to Democrats (Time, November 4, 2019). While medical professionals obviously care about many issues that influence their political views and donations, it seems likely, given their Hippocratic oath, that their overwhelming support of Democrats (who favor more expansive medical coverage) would indicate that they feel they could provide a better level of care to more patients if legislation was enacted to provide universal healthcare.