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.
Vermont aborted its attempt to implement single-payer more than a decade ago after its governor concluded that the taxes needed to finance the system would crater the state economy. Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 In moments like that, familiar single-payer arguments tend to resurface. Joseph Choi, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2026 For a party that dreams of a single-payer, socialist healthcare system where taxpayers fund every expense, this is perhaps unsurprising. Robert Romano, Boston Herald, 6 Jan. 2026 In 2017, Bonta was a principal coauthor of Senate Bill 562, a ridiculous, half-baked proposal to establish single-payer healthcare in California. The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 17 Dec. 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 9 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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