How Other Countries Get to Universal Coverage
<p>Amidst the debate over repeal of the Affordable Care Act, some state and federal policymakers have proposed a single-payer health system, in which the government provides insurance coverage financed by taxes. “Single-payer” is often used to describe the way nations achieve universal coverage — everyone having access to essential health services. Yet, as the Commonwealth Fund’s Shanoor Seervai, Arnav Shah, and Robin Osborn explain on <em>To the Point</em>, these health systems actually have significant differences.</p><p>The authors group countries that have achieved universal coverage into three categories: predominantly public insurance, regulated private insurance, and mixed public–private insurance. Using a representative country for each category, the authors show how financing, care delivery, and coverage vary across these systems.</p>
<p>The bottom line: there are many paths to universal coverage, including the one set forth through the Affordable Care Act.</p>