The House proposal unveiled on Tuesday would not eliminate private health insurance entirely, as it would allow patients to purchase supplemental coverage. Many Americans under the age of 65 rely on private insurance provided by their employer.
A single-payer system is variously understood as one in which the government pays for healthcare for more people, or one where the governments owns health services providers and manages all aspects of care, such as in the United Kingdom.
Several U.S. Democratic lawmakers have introduced different versions of expanded Medicare, such as allowing people aged 50 and older to buy into the program.
The new House proposal would cover most aspects of patients’ care, including primary care, hospital and outpatient services, prescription drugs, dental, vision, audiology, women’s reproductive health services, maternity and newborn care.
