To determine the effect of incomplete insurance coverage in 2020, the researchers calculated the increased mortality attributable to the loss of employer-sponsored insurance and to background rates of uninsurance combined with the higher COVID-19 mortality due to low insurance coverage.
Five key takeaways:
- In 2020 alone, a single-payer universal healthcare system would have saved nearly 212,000 lives from both non-COVID conditions and COVID-19.
- As of March 14, 338,594 COVID-19 deaths are attributable to incomplete insurance coverage.
- Across the entire pandemic, the healthcare industry would have saved $105.6 billion in medical expenses associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations.
- During a nonpandemic year, the industry would save $438 billion annually under a single-payer system.
- When combining expected savings under Medicare for All with savings specific to COVID-19, a single-payer system would have cost $459 billion less in 2020 compared to the current system.
