Universal health systems abroad reveal long waits and deaths, sparking US skepticism

The piece references past American pushes for universal health insurance and a recent Yale School of Public Health study that predicts large mortality reductions and lower costs, but argues that modeling is unnecessary when existing single-payer systems already expose flaws. In Canada, health spending reaches 12.7 % of GDP yet patients endure median waits of 28.6 weeks, with 15,500 recorded deaths while awaiting care and a high share reporting unmet needs.

The United Kingdom’s NHS similarly struggles with a waiting list of 7.3 million people, over-year delays for many, and avoidable mortality rates among the highest in Western Europe, especially for common cancers. Personal accounts, such as a pregnant woman whose tumor surgery was repeatedly postponed, underscore systemic shortcomings. Critics like Michael Cannon of the Cato Institute contend that advocates seldom quantify the full economic impact of extracting resources for universal coverage. The article concludes that the United States should remain skeptical of the notion that government-run health care is a panacea.