Virtual Debate | Single-Payer Healthcare: For or Against? | Gerald Friedman vs. David Johnson

Watch our first ever virtual health policy debate where we discussed Medicare for All. Arguing in favor of Medicare for All is Gerald Friedman, a professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and author of the book, The Case for Medicare for All. Gerry is a proponent of a single payer healthcare system, and served as one of the key healthcare thinkers for Bernie Sanders’ presidential platforms. Arguing against Medicare for All is our own David Johnson, CEO of 4sight Health. Dave is a proponent of a multi-payer healthcare system and he supports market-driven healthcare reforms to make the system work better for patients. Tune in as David Burda, News Editor at 4sight Health, moderates the debate.

Both Gerry and Dave believe that the current healthcare system is too fragmented, too costly, and too cruel. Both think that the system needs a major overhaul. They also agree on the goals of reform, affordable and accessible healthcare for all Americans that doesn’t break the bank. However, Jerry and Dave disagree on the best route to achieve those goals. Their debate centers on how best to reengineer the business of healthcare to maximize healthcare’s overall benefit to individuals, communities, and American society.

Opening Statements About Medicare for All (02:52)

Gerald Friedman’s Opening Statement (02:59)
Dave Johnson’s Opening Statement (05:12)

Round 1: How does Medicare for All affect access? (07:57)
(watch debate here)

Gerald Friedman’s Round 1 Response (08:08)
David Johnson’s Round 1 Response (10:29)
Gerald Friedman’s Round 1 Rebuttal (14:14)
David Johnson’s Round 1 Rebuttal (16:13)

Round 2: What’s the connection between Medicare for All and cost? (19:00)
(watch debate here)

David Johnson’s Round 2 Response (18:47)
Gerald Friedman’s Round 2 Response (22:18)
David Johnson’s Round 2 Rebuttal (25:33)
Gerald Friedman’s Round 2 Rebuttal (28:09)

Round 3: Tell us how Medicare for All affects the quality of patient care. (30:16)
(watch debate here)

Gerald Friedman’s Round 3 Response (30:32)
David Johnson’s Round 3 Response (33:40)
Gerald Friedman’s Round 3 Rebuttal (37:28)
David Johnson’s Round 3 Rebuttal (40:00)

Closing Statements About Medicare for All (42:56)

Gerald Friedman’s Closing Statement (43:11)
Dave Johnson’s Closing Statement (45:37)

Click to watch the debate here.

Guest Speaker

Gerald Friedman is professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is the author of The Case for Medicare for All, Reigniting the Labor Movement: Restoring Means to Ends in a Democratic Labor Movement and State-Making and Labor Movements. Gerald is currently working on an intellectual biography of Richard Ely, an early American economist, as part of a larger study of the decline of liberalism in the United States.

Gerald received his bachelor’s in economics and history from Columbia College in 1977 and worked on the research staff of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. He also earned a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University in 1986.

About the Authors

Gerald Friedman

Gerald Friedman is professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is the author of The Case for Medicare for All, Reigniting the Labor Movement: Restoring Means to Ends in a Democratic Labor Movement and State-Making and Labor Movements. Gerald is currently working on an intellectual biography of Richard Ely, an early American economist, as part of a larger study of the decline of liberalism in the United States. Gerald received his bachelor's in economics and history from Columbia College in 1977 and worked on the research staff of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. He also earned a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University in 1986.

David W. Johnson

David Johnson is the CEO of 4sight Health, an advisory company working at the intersection of healthcare strategy, economics, innovation. Johnson is a healthcare thought leader, keynote speaker, and strategic advisor to organizations busting the status-quo to reform our healthcare system. He is the author of Market vs. Medicine: America’s Epic Fight for Better, Affordable Healthcare, and his second book, The Customer Revolution in Healthcare: Delivering Kinder, Smarter, Affordable Care for All (McGraw-Hill 2019). As a speaker, Dave plays the role of rebel, challenger, industry historian, investor and company evaluator to push audiences forward. (Watch bio video.) Johnson applies his 25+ years of investment banking in healthcare to identify ways the healthcare industry must change to deliver better care. He received a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, an English degree from Colgate University, and served in the African Peace Corp service. Join over 10k+ healthcare executives who read our weekly insights and commentary on www.4sighthealth.com. Preorder his third book, The Coming Healthcare Revolution: 10 Forces that Will Cure America’s Health Crisis, now.

David Burda

David Burda began covering healthcare in 1983 and hasn’t stopped since. Dave writes this monthly column “Burda on Healthcare,” contributes weekly blog posts, manages our weekly newsletter 4sight Friday, and hosts our weekly Roundup podcast. Dave believes that healthcare is a business like any other business, and customers — patients — are king. If you do what’s right for patients, good business results will follow.

Dave’s personnel experiences with the healthcare system both as a patient and family caregiver have shaped his point of view. It’s also been shaped by covering the industry for 40 years as a reporter and editor. He worked at Modern Healthcare for 25 years, the last 11 as editor.

Prior to Modern Healthcare, he did stints at the American Medical Record Association (now AHIMA) and the American Hospital Association. After Modern Healthcare, he wrote a monthly column for Twin Cities Business explaining healthcare trends to a business audience, and he developed and executed content marketing plans for leading healthcare corporations as the editorial director for healthcare strategies at MSP Communications.

When he’s not reading and writing about healthcare, Dave spends his time riding the trails of DuPage County, IL, on his bike, tending his vegetable garden and daydreaming about being a lobster fisherman in Maine. He lives in Wheaton, IL, with his lovely wife of 40 years and his three children, none of whom want to be journalists or lobster fishermen.

July 29, 2021