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Universal healthcare as pandemic preparedness: The lives and costs that could have been saved during the COVID-19 pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Alison P. Galvani

    (a Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510;)

  • Alyssa S. Parpia

    (a Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510;)

  • Abhishek Pandey

    (a Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510;)

  • Pratha Sah

    (a Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510;)

  • Kenneth Colón

    (a Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510;; b Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244;)

  • Gerald Friedman

    (c Department of Economics, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01002;)

  • Travis Campbell

    (c Department of Economics, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01002;)

  • James G. Kahn

    (d Institute for Health Policy Studies, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94118;)

  • Burton H. Singer

    (e Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610;)

  • Meagan C. Fitzpatrick

    (a Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510;; f Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201)

Abstract

The fragmented and inefficient healthcare system in the United States leads to many preventable deaths and unnecessary costs every year. Universal healthcare could have alleviated the mortality caused by a confluence of negative COVID-related factors. Incorporating the demography of the uninsured with age-specific COVID-19 and nonpandemic mortality, we estimated that a single-payer universal healthcare system would have saved 212,000 lives in 2020 alone. We also calculated that US$105.6 billion of medical expenses associated with COVID-19 hospitalization could have been averted by a Medicare for All system.

Suggested Citation

  • Alison P. Galvani & Alyssa S. Parpia & Abhishek Pandey & Pratha Sah & Kenneth Colón & Gerald Friedman & Travis Campbell & James G. Kahn & Burton H. Singer & Meagan C. Fitzpatrick, 2022. "Universal healthcare as pandemic preparedness: The lives and costs that could have been saved during the COVID-19 pandemic," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 119(25), pages 2200536119-, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nas:journl:v:119:y:2022:p:e2200536119
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