single-payer

American  

[sing-guhl-pey-er] / ˈsɪŋ gəlˈpeɪ ər /

adjective

1. noting or relating to a healthcare or health insurance system in which the government or a publicly owned and regulated agency pays all medical costs from a single fund.

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Etymology

Origin of single-payer

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Irony alert: Dr. Prasad is a fan of single-payer healthcare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

Her campaign told the BBC that, as president, she would not push for a single-payer system.

From BBC • Aug. 17, 2024

They include the proposal on “closing the health coverage gaps” by adopting a “comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and health care cost control system for the benefit of all African Americans in California.”

From Washington Times • Jul. 11, 2023

In her case, though, her experience has turned her into an advocate for a single-payer system.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2022

“Medicare is a good program. That’s why people use ‘Medicare-for-all’ as a slogan” for universal coverage, says single-payer supporter Anthony Wright, executive director of Healthcare Access California, an advocacy group.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2022