As the Republicans push their latest (and likely final) Repeal and Replace plan, survey after survey shows that the vast majority of Americans do not support it (between 12-17% overall). The calls for bipartisan solutions are increasing, as are the demands for Medicare for All, a single payer solution.
This is the link to an article that discusses some of the very basic issues that must be decided before we can move forward. Click here to read.
For instance, Medicare for All is a convenient way to discuss reforms that guarantee healthcare, but it does not necessarily mean single payer. Up to 1/3 of those with Medicare are covered under Medicare Advantage which are insurance-managed policies. 2/3 of Medicare recipients receive the bulk of their coverage from the government, but still purchase MediGap plans from insurance companies to cover additional services.
California's SB 562 is a true single payer system in that there is not a role for insurance companies. The coverage provided is comprehensive; even so, the government does not provide your care - your doctors, nurses and other providers do. It is not like the Veterans Administration where the hospitals are owned by the VA and the doctors and nurses are employed by the VA. The government appointed board would determine the very broad parameters of medical care (including hearing, dental and vision), and then negotiate reimbursement rates for providers and drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.
As Americans start to develop a systems that guarantees healthcare for all of us, we will have to be careful and precise in the language we use.