Should the U.S. adopt a single-payer healthcare system?

The U.S. spends roughly $12,500 per person on healthcare annually — nearly double what peer nations spend — yet ranks last among comparable countries on outcomes. Every other developed nation guarantees coverage as a right, not a privilege of employment. Single-payer proponents argue that the administrative waste is unconscionable: we spend $900 billion on billing overhead alone. Medicare's 2-3% admin cost vs. private insurance's 8-15% isn't a partisan talking point, it's arithmetic. The employer-based system also creates lock-in — workers can't change jobs without losing coverage. Opponents counter that single-payer means years of political fighting, physician payment disruption, and the genuine trade-off of waiting times in countries like Canada. They argue a public option — Medicare open to all, competing with private plans — achieves universal coverage without eliminating choice. Is single-payer the right goal, or should we pursue a different model? What's the most achievable path given the current political environment?