What Is Single-Payer Healthcare and Why Is It So Popular?

As the United States grapples with the future of the Affordable Care Act, the notion of a single-payer healthcare system to simplify and expand coverage is being discussed more and more. According to a recent poll by the Morning Consult and Politico, 44% of Americans favor a single-payer healthcare system.

But what exactly is single-payer healthcare?

Single payer—or Medicare for All, as it's sometimes referred to in the U.S.