I have no doubt that the U.S. can develop its own system...

Exactly.

Personally, I’m not fond of the single payer idea, AKA Medicare for all. That still requires health care providers to bill that single payer and wait to get paid.

My preferred solution would be for the Fed government to take over financially failing hospitals and medical groups, and run them directly. Put the doctors and nurses and orderlies and facility staff on payroll and let them take care of patients without having to bill anyone. I’d fund it with some increased income taxes - both corporate and individual. Maybe take some funds from Medicaid or Medicare to the extent that was the population previously being served. Probably bill the insurance for anyone who has insurance.

I’d start with rural hospitals, especially if it were the last facility serving the area. And maybe it stops there, at least for a while. Call it a Rural Hospital Restoration Act. RHRA for short.

But that’s just one idea. One possibility that may or may not be feasible. But I think keeping hospitals and medical groups open in rural areas that are losing access to medical care is something that has a shot at being politically feasible.

—Peter