single-payer

adjective

sin·​gle-pay·​er ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈpā-ər How to pronounce single-payer (audio)
: of, relating to, or being a system in which health care providers are paid for their services by the government rather than by private insurers

Examples of single-payer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And again, Democrats' entire focus on this was going to a single-payer system. Obed Manuel, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025 However, there are still divisions within the party—while some progressives have called for a single-payer system, more moderate Democrats have advocated for changes to the Affordable Care Act to improve access. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Sep. 2025 Newsom’s governorship has resembled Brown’s first stint: promises of bold action on issues such as single-payer health care, housing shortages, homelessness and climate change, followed by backtracking with excuses. Dan Walters, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025 Newsom even dropped his advocacy of single-payer health care in favor of wider coverage by the state’s Medi-Cal program, then sought to cut back on that coverage to close a state budget deficit this year. Dan Walters, Oc Register, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for single-payer

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of single-payer was in 1987

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Cite this Entry

“Single-payer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-payer. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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