Solutions with Henry Blodget It’s Time for Medicare for All
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Nov 10, 2025 In this discussion, Dr. Stephanie Woolhandler, a distinguished professor at Hunter College and founder of Physicians for a National Health Program, tackles the urgent need for Medicare for All. She explains how the U.S. healthcare system is failing, driven by profit-seeking motives that drive up costs and restrict access. Woolhandler outlines how single-payer can simplify the coverage model and reduce waste, while debunking myths about private insurance's role and exploring why past reform efforts stalled. Her insights reveal a path forward amid rising public frustration.
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Adopt Single‑Payer Medicare For All
- Implement a single‑payer "Medicare for All" that funds care via taxes and pays providers directly.
- Woolhandler says administrative simplification would free funds to remove copays and expand covered services.
Early Collaboration With Bernie Sanders
- Woolhandler recounts choosing to work with Bernie Sanders early in his career on single‑payer ideas despite Harvard colleagues calling it "crazy."
- She describes collaborating with Sanders on developing single‑payer proposals.
Public Insurance With Private Providers
- Woolhandler believes private insurance should largely vanish for core care, while private practice doctors can remain under public fee schedules.
- She cites Canadian doctors' satisfaction and high earnings under public systems.