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Article snippet: Many Democrats giddy from their recent health policy successes are starting to reach enthusiastically for a mountaintop goal: establishing a single-payer system for all Americans. But they may want to learn the lessons of their opposition. Like “repeal and replace,” “single-payer” is a broadly popular slogan that papers over intraparty disagreements and wrenching policy choices. Republicans fumbled multiple attempts to replace the Affordable Care Act this year. If the Democrats eventually wrested back power, they could find themselves similarly factionalized and stymied over the details. In a single-payer system, the government, not individuals or businesses, pays nearly all of the medical bills. Once at the edge of the political conversation, derided as a socialist fantasy, it is barreling into the mainstream of Democratic politics, usually under the slogan “Medicare for all.” Since January, a majority of House Democrats have signed onto a single-payer bill brought by John Conyers of Michigan — a bill that has been introduced seven times before, without nearly as much support. Senator Bernie Sanders plans to introduce his own single-payer bill on Wednesday. Already, it has attracted three senators regarded as presidential aspirants: Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey have said that they will co-sponsor the bill. The idea has gained more traction among the public, too. Recent polling from Gallup suggests t... Link to the full article to read more