Public support for a single-payer system has grown, according to a survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
Currently, a slight majority of Americans say they favor a national health plan in which all citizens would get insurance from a single government plan, though the level of support has narrowed in recent months.
Overall, a majority of Democrats and about half of independent voters favor a national Medicare-for-all plan while most Republicans oppose. Overall, a majority of Americans support the general ideal of Medicare-for-all. Two-thirds (65%) of Americans say they support a government-run health plan that would compete with private insurance, often called a public option.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program created in 1965 for people ages 65 and over, regardless of income, medical history, or health status. The program was expanded in 1972 to cover certain people under age 65 who have a long-term disability. Today, Medicare plays a key role in providing health and financial security to 60 million older people and younger people with disabilities.
Medicare-for-all plan will require many employers and some individuals to pay more in taxes while eliminating both out-of-pocket costs and premiums for all Americans. And, the plan will increase taxes individuals will personally pay, but decrease their overall costs for health care.
KFF polling finds that Americans know little about how Medicare-for-all proposals would reshape the way all Americans get and pay for health care, and public support for Medicare-for-all shifts significantly when people hear arguments about potential tax increases or delays in medical tests and treatment.
Additionally, KFF polling shows many Americans falsely assume they would be able to keep their current employer provided private health insurance under a single-payer plan, suggesting another potential area for decreased support.
Medicare, in its current form, faces a number of critical issues and challenges, perhaps none greater than providing affordable, quality care to an aging population while keeping the program financially secure for future generations. Medicare is financed by general revenues (41% in 2017), payroll tax contributions (37%), beneficiary premiums (14%), and other sources.
Two-thirds (65%) say they support a government-run health plan that would compete with private insurance, often called a public option.