Public Debate Will Ask: Should the U.S. Adopt a Single-payer Healthcare System?

SPRINGFIELD, Missouri, March 27 -- Drury University issued the following news release:

The American health care system is regarded by some as the best in the world and by others as prohibitively expensive and unfair, yet most everyone agrees the system could be improved. From the Great Society policies of the 1960s to the attempted reforms of the 1990s to "Obamacare," Americans' health care is a constant source of national debate.

The conversation comes to the Drury University campus in April as part of Breech Business Week.

"O Canada! Should the U.S. adopt a single-payer health insurance system?" will be a pro/con-style debate featuring two leading national voices in health care policy. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, April 9 at Clara Thompson Hall, and is free and open to the public.

Speaking in favor of a single-payer system is Ed Weisbart, M.D., who chairs the Missouri chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program, which has more than 21,000 members nationwide. Weisbart is an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. He has published several articles over the years regarding the health care needs of the uninsured, and volunteers in a variety of safety net clinics and other nonprofits in the St. Louis area. He also recruits other physicians to practice at free clinics across the nation.

Speaking against a single-payer system is author and policy analyst John C. Goodman, Ph.D., a senior fellow at the Independent Institutue. The Wall Street Journal calls Goodman "the father of Health Savings Accounts," and his 1992 book Patient Power is credited with playing a pivotal role in the defeat of Hillary Clinton's health reform efforts. Goodman is the author of nine books and regularly briefs members of Congress on economic policy. He also appears frequently on television including CNN, CNBC and Fox News, and was a regular on Firing Line with the late William F. Buckley.

The debate will be moderated by Dr. Daniel Ponder, professor of political science at Drury. It is sponsored by the Breech School of Business Administration and the Meador Center for Politics and Citizenship, with grant support from the Charles Koch Foundation.

The debate kicks off a full week of activities associated with the annual Breech Business Week at Drury that will provide students with an opportunity to engage in activities directly related to career preparation, including business networking, mentorship connections, resume workshops, and more. The weeklong event sees real-world expertise coming into the classroom as Drury alumni and local business leaders share their experiences and learn what makes Drury graduates such highly valued employees.

The complete 2018 Breech Business Week schedule can be found online at http://www.drury.edu/business/breech-business-week.