Economists in Support of a Medicare for All Health Care System

An Open Letter to the Congress and People of the United States

May 21, 2019

As economists, we understand that a single-payer “Medicare for All” health insurance system for the U.S. can finance good-quality care for all U.S. residents as a basic right while still significantly reducing overall health care spending relative to the current exorbitant and wasteful system. Health care is not a service that follows standard market rules. It should therefore be provided as a public good.

Evidence from around the world demonstrates that publicly financed health care systems result in improved health outcomes, lower costs, and greater equity. As of 2017, the U.S. spent $3.3 trillion annually on health care. This equaled 17 percent of U.S. GDP, with average spending at about $10,000 per person. By contrast, Germany, France, Japan, Canada, the U.K., Australia, Spain and Italy spent between 9 – 11 percent of GDP on health care, averaging $3,400 to $5,700 per person. Yet average health outcomes in all of these countries are superior to those in the United States. In all of these countries, the public sector is predominant in financing heath care.

For these reasons the time is now to create a universal, single-payer, Medicare for All health care system in the United States.

Public financing for health is not a matter of raising new money for healthcare, but of reducing total healthcare outlays and distributing payments more equitably and efficiently. Implementing a unified single-payer system would reduce administrative costs and eliminate individuals' and employers' insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. If combined with public control of drug prices and a dramatically simplified global budgeting system, a sensible Medicare financing system would reduce healthcare costs while guaranteeing access to comprehensive care and financial security to all.

As such, we support publicly and equitably financed health care through a Medicare for All system at the Federal level, as described in H.R. 1384 and S. 1129. We encourage Congress to move forward with implementing a public financed Medicare for All plan to achieve the equitable and affordable universal health care system that the American people need.

Signed,

1. Randy Albelda, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Boston
2. Carolyn B. Aldana, Professor Emeritus, California State University, San Bernardino
3. Mona Ali, Associate Professor of Economics, SUNY New Paltz
4. Larry Allen, Professor of Economics, Lamar University
5. Jack Amariglio, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Merrimack College
6. Eileen Appelbaum, Co-Director and Senior Economist, Center for Economic and Policy Research
7. Peter Arno, Senior Fellow & Director Health Policy Research, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
8. Michael Ash, Professor of Economics & Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst
9. Glen Atkinson, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Nevada, Reno
10. M V Lee Badgett, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
11. Ron Baiman, Assistant Professor of Economics, Benedictine University
12. Dean Baker, Senior Economist, Center for Economic and Policy Research
13. Erdogan Bakir, Associate Professor of Economics, Bucknell University
14. Radhika Balakrishnan, Professor, Rutgers University
15. Nina Banks, Associate Professor of Economics, Bucknell University
16. David Barkin, Distinguished Professor, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana
17. Charles Barone, Professor Emeritus, Dickinson College
18. Deepankar Basu, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
19. Lourdes Beneria, Professor Emerita, Cornell University
20. Peter H. Bent, Assistant Professor, American University of Paris
21. Suzanne Bergeron, Professor, University of Michigan Dearborn
22. Cyrus Bina, Distinguished Research Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota (Morris Campus), and Fellow, Economists for Peace and Security
23. Josh Bivens, Research Director, Economic Policy Institute
24. Robert A. Blecker, Professor of Economics, American University
25. Peter Bohmer, Faculty in Economics and Political Economy, The Evergreen State College
26. Howard Botwinick, Associate Professor of Economics, SUNY Cortland
27. Roger Even Bove, Ph.D. in Economics, West Chester University (retired)
28. James K. Boyce, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Amherst
29. Robert Brenner, Director, Center for Social Theory and Comparative History, UCLA
30. Michael Brün, Instructor, Heartland Community College
31. Antonio Callari, Professor, Franklin and Marshall College
32. Al Campbell, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Utah
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34. Jim Campen, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Boston
35. José Caraballo, Professor, University of Puerto Rico
36. Scott Carter, Professor of Economics, The University of Tulsa
37. James F Casey, Associate Professor of Economics, Washington and Lee University
38. John Dennis Chasse, Professor Emeritus, SUNY College at Brockport
39. Ying Chen, Assistant Professor of Economics, The New School
40. Robert Chernomas, Professor of Economics, University of Manitoba
41. Kimberly Christensen, Economics Professor, Sarah Lawrence College
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47. Omar Dahi, Hampshire College
48. Anita Dancs, Associate Professor of Economics, Western New England University
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51. Charles Davis, Professor of Labor Studies, Indiana University
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57. Geert Dhondt, Associate Professor, John Jay College, CUNY
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60. Marie C. Duggan, Professor of Economics, Keene State College
61. Amitava Krishna Dutt, Professor of Economics and Political Science, University of Notre Dame
62. Nina Eichacker, Assistant Professor, University of Rhode Island
63. David P Ellerman, Visiting Scholar, University of California at Riverside
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65. Thomas Ferguson, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Boston
66. Ellen Fitzpatrick, Professor, Merrimack College
67. Sean Flaherty, Professor of Economics, Franklin and Marshall College
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70. Dania V. Francis, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
71. Anders Fremstad, Assistant Professor, Colorado State University
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73. James K. Galbraith, Professor, University of Texas at Austin
74. Barbara Garson, Author, Money Makes the World Go Round
75. Armagan Gezici, Associate Professor of Economics, Keene State College
76. Helen Lachs Ginsburg, Professor Emerita of Economics, Brooklyn College/CUNY
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78. Art Goldsmith, Professor of Economics, Washington and Lee University
79. Neva Goodwin, Co-director, GDAE, Tufts University
80. Ulla Grapard, Professor of Economics and Women's Studies, Emerita, Colgate University
81. Robert Guttmann, Augustus B Weller Professor of Economics, Hofstra University
82. Robin E Hahnel, Professor Emeritus, American University
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85. Greg P. Hannsgen, Founder and Blogger, Greg Hannsgen's Economics Blog, and Research Associate, Levy Economics Institute of Bard College
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90. Carol E. Heim, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
91. John Forrest Henry, Senior Scholar, Levy Economics Institute, and Adjunct Professor, University of Missouri-Kansas City
92. Conrad M. Herold, Associate Professor of Economics, Hofstra University
93. P. Sai-wing Ho, Professor, University of Denver
94. Joan Hoffman, Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice CUNY
95. Barbara Hopkins, Professor, Wright State University
96. Candace Howes, Professor of Economics, Connecticut College
97. Eric Hoyt, Ph.D. in Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Research Director, Center for Employment Equity
98. Julio Huato, Associate Professor of Economics, St. Francis College
99. Joseph Michael Hunt, Instructor, Environmental and Health Policy, Harvard Uiversity
100. Dorene Isenberg, Professor of Economics, University of Redlands
101. Tae-Hee Jo, Associate Professor, SUNY Buffalo State
102. Fadhel Kaboub, Associate Professor of Economics, Denison University, and President,Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity
103. Stephanie A Kelton, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Stony Brook University, and Senior Economic Advisor, Bernie2020 Presidential Campaign
104. Haider A Khan, John Evans Distinguished University Professor, University of Denver
105. Mu-Jeong Kho, University College London, the University of London
106. Marlene Kim, Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston
107. Mary C. King, Professor of Economics Emerita, Portland State University
108. Charalampos Konstantinidis, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston
109. Kazim Konyar, Professor of Economics, California State University, San Bernardino
110. Douglas Koritz, Professor of Economics, St Francis College
111. Brent Kramer, Adjunct Assistant Professor, City University of New York
112. Patrick L Mason, Professor of Economics, Florida State University, and Director, African American Studies Program
113. David Laibman, Professor Emeritus, Economics, City University of New York, and Editor, Science & Society
114. Thomas Lambert, Lecturer, University of Louisville
115. Anthony Laramie, Professor of Economics, Merrimack College
116. Margaret Levenstein, Research Professor, Institute for Social Research and School of Information, University of Michigan
117. An Li, Assistant Professor, Sarah Lawrence College
118. Victor D. Lippit, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of California, Riverside
119. James Luke, Professor of Economics, Lansing Community College
120. Daniel MacDonald, Assistant Professor, California State University San Bernardino
121. Arthur MacEwan, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Massachusetts Boston
122. Allan MacNeill, Professor, Webster University
123. Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, Full Professor of Economics, Winston-Salem State University, and Former Chief Economist, City and County of San Francisco
124. Yahya M. Madra, Associate Professor of Economics, Drew University
125. Theresa Mannah-Blankson, Assistant Professor of Economics, Messiah College
126. Thomas Masterson, Director of Applied Micromodeling, Levy Economics Institute of Bard College
127. Gabriel Mathy, Assistant Professor, American University
128. Peter H Matthews, Dana Professor of Economics, Middlebury College
129. Scott McConnell, Associate Professor of Economics, Eastern Oregon University, and Owner/CEO, Side A Brewing
130. Elaine McCrate, Economics Professor Emerita, University of Vermont
131. Terrence McDonough, Professor Emeritus, National University Ireland Galway
132. Martin Melkonian, Adjunct Associate Professor, Economics, Hofstra University
133. Peter B. Meyer, Professor Emeritus of Urban Policy and Economics, University of Louisville
134. Thomas Michl, Professor of Economics, Colgate University
135. John Miller, Professor of Economics, Wheaton College
136. Katherine A. Moos, Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
137. Monique Morrissey, Economist, Economic Policy Institute
138. Tracy Mott, Professor, University of Denver
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141. Edward J. Nell, Emeritus Professor, New School for Social Research
142. Julie A. Nelson, Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston
143. Reynold F. Nesiba, Professor of Economics, Augustana University
144. John Casey Nicolarsen, Visiting Professor, Sarah Lawrence College
145. Eric Nilsson, Professor, California State University San Bernardino
146. Erik Olsen, Associate Professor, University of Missouri Kansas City
147. Paulette Olson, Professor Emerita, Wright State University
148. Lenore Palladino, Senior Economist, Roosevelt Institute
149. Christian Parenti, Associate Professor Department of Economics, John Jay College CUNY
150. Mark Paul, Assistant Professor of Economics, New College of Florida
151. Eva Paus, Professor of Economics, Mount Holyoke College
152. Karen A Pfeifer, Professor Emerita of Economics, Smith College
153. Lynda Pickbourn, Assistant Professor of Economics, Hampshire College
154. Bruce Pietrykowski, Professor of Economics, University of Michigan-Dearborn
155. Chiara Piovani, Associate Professor, University of Denver
156. Robert Pollin, Distinguished Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Co-Director, Political Economy Research Institute (PERI)
157. Devin T. Rafferty, Assistant Professor, Saint Peter's University, and Founding Director, MS Finance Program
158. Pratistha Joshi Rajkarnikar, Postdoc Scholar, Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University
159. Michael Robinson, Professor of Economics, Mount Holyoke College
160. John Roche, Associate Proferssor Emeritus, St John Fisher College
161. Leonard Rodberg, Emeritus Professor of Urban Studies, Queens College/CUNY
162. Leanne Roncolato, Assistant Professor of Economics, Franklin and Marshall College
163. Frank Roosevelt, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Sarah Lawrence College
164. Jaime Ros, Emeritus Professor, University of Notre Dame, and Professor of Economics, National Autonomous University of Mexico
165. Nancy E Rose, Professor Emeritus, California State University San Bernardino
166. Trevor R. Roycroft, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Ohio University
167. David F. Ruccio, Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame
168. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Professor, Columbia University
169. Gregory M Saltzman, Professor of Economics and Management, Albion College
170. John Sarich, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
171. John Schmitt, Vice President, Economic Policy Institute
172. Jeremy Schwartz, Associate Professor, Loyola University Maryland
173. Elliott Sclar, Emeritus Professor, Columbia University
174. Stephanie Seguino, Professor of Economics, University of Vermont
175. Mark Setterfield, Professor of Economics, New School for Social Research
176. Anwar Shaikh, Professor, New School for Social Research
177. Barry G. Shelley, Senior Lecturer, Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University
178. Zoe Sherman, Assistant Professor of Economics, Merrimack College
179. Heidi Shierholz, Senior Economist and Director of Policy, Economic Policy Institute
180. Hee-Young Shin, Assistant Professor, Wright State University
181. Nicholas Shunda, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Redlands
182. Kellin Stanfield, Assistant Professor of Economics, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
183. Howard Stein, Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
184. Jose A. Tapia, Associate Professor, Drexel University
185. Linwood Tauheed, Associate Professor, University of Missouri Kansas City
186. Daniele Tavani, Associate Professor, Colorado State University
187. Pavlina R. Tcherneva, Program Director and Associate Professor of Economics, Bard College, and Research Associate, Levy Economics Institute
188. Chris Tilly, Professor of Urban Planning, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
189. E. Ahmet Tonak, Visiting Professor, Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
190. Mariano Torras, Professor, Adelphi University
191. Andres Torres, Distinguished Lecturer, Lehman College (retired)
192. Mayo Toruno, Professor Emeritus, California State University San Bernardino
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