Commonwealth Fund April 11, 2019
Toplines
While many believe that all universal health care systems are highly centralized, most are not
Some universal health care systems cover broad benefits with no cost-sharing but most offer narrower benefits or incorporate cost-sharing
Private health insurance plays a major role in many countries with universal coverage
Country
Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan
ABSTRACT
- Issue: When discussing universal health insurance coverage in the United States, policymakers often draw a contrast between the U.S. and high-income nations that have achieved universal coverage. Some will refer to these countries having “single payer” systems, often implying they are all alike. Yet such a label can be misleading, as considerable differences exist...