Universal health care is often outright dismissed in favor of a market solution to take care of everyone’s needs. Afterall, the powers that be don’t consider health care a human right in the first place. They partially justify this notion by claiming that a more diverse selection of private insurance plans should lower prices for everyone via competition. 

Of course, they ignore the fact that health care demand is inelastic — either you need treatment or you don’t — which means that setting prices through a supply and demand model is problematic at best.

They also fail to mention the fact that the intersection between private insurance, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and doctors makes most healthcare services and drugs unaffordable for the average person. That’s not to say anything about the requirement of health insurance to receive “discounts” on these necessary services, or to receive certain services at all.

But, hey, as long as the free market remains in tact, prices should be reasonable, right?

Keep in mind that this is the same “free market” where wages have effectively stagnated for the past 50 years. Additionally, 44% of the available jobs in America are low-wage that pay a median of $18,000 annually, or roughly $9.38/hour. Thus, the methods by which one is expected to pay for health care on top of their other necessities are all but akin to magic. 

If someone can’t pay for a service, then they just need to bust out those old bootstraps and work a little harder for the treatments they need, right?

Assuming those who manipulate market forces wanted to cut healthcare costs, which they don’t, then the solution truly is to implement Medicare for All.

Study Shows Legitimacy of Universal Health Care

According to a new study analyzing 22 single-payer plans over 30 years, a Medicare for All system would undoubtedly save money. This isn’t JUST a long-term money-saving strategy, either. Health care expenditures would fall within the first year In 86% of the plans scrutinized by this study.

The study estimates total net savings at 3.46% in the first year alone. 

Medicare for All isn’t just leftist propaganda. These researchers also found that “studies funded by organizations across the political spectrum estimated savings for single-payer” systems. Dr. Adam Gaffney, president of Physicians for a National Health Program, stated,

“Even studies by conservative and libertarian think takes conclude that Medicare for All will reap enough administrative savings to cover the uninsured and upgrade coverage for everyone else. At this point, the most expensive health care plan is the status quo.”

You’ll never hear a centrist Democrat like Joe Biden, let alone a Republican, willingly admit to this in a public forum.

Total savings aren’t even as important as the fact that all Americans would have health coverage under this system.

Can a single-payer system in itself achieve these kinds of savings on its own? No. Abolishing private insurance is crucial to achieving these savings.

It’s not the fault of the average American to not afford health insurance. The failure is of a systemic nature. The system needs to change for there to be justice and healthcare for all.