Medicare for All: Policy, Economics, and the Case for Universal Healthcare

📘 Course Overview

The U.S. healthcare system is in crisis. Skyrocketing costs, staggering medical debt, and millions of uninsured or underinsured Americans are symptoms of a broken model that prioritizes profit over people. This course is a deep dive into Medicare for All (M4A)—a transformative proposal for a single-payer, universal healthcare system that ensures every American has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare regardless of income, employment status, or pre-existing conditions.

Through compelling lessons, historical context, economic analysis, and political strategy, this course will equip students with the knowledge and tools to understand, defend, and advocate for Medicare for All in their communities and beyond.

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• ✅ Define and explain the core principles of Medicare for All
• 💸 Understand how much it would cost and how it would be funded
• 📈 Analyze the economic and social return on investment
• 👥 Identify who benefits and why the current system is failing
• 🗣️ Debunk common myths and effectively debate critics
• 🧭 Explore strategies for organizing and advocating for universal healthcare

🧩 What’s Inside the Course

The course is structured into 7 in-depth modules, including:

• 🔍 What is Medicare for All? Learn how single-payer healthcare works and how it differs from reforms like the Affordable Care Act or public options.
• 💔 The Current Crisis Explore why the U.S. healthcare system ranks poorly among developed nations in access, affordability, and outcomes.
• 💰 Cost and Funding Break down how Medicare for All is paid for, what it saves, and why the question shouldn’t be “Can we afford it?”—but rather, “Can we afford not to?”
• 📉 The Economic Case Discover how M4A could lower overall healthcare costs, boost small businesses, and free Americans from job-locked insurance.
• 🛑 Opposition and Power Structures Investigate who opposes M4A, how lobbying distorts the conversation, and how misinformation is spread.
• 📢 Organizing and Advocacy Gain practical tools for becoming an advocate for healthcare justice, from crafting arguments to building coalitions.
• 🧪 Capstone & Debate Simulation Apply your learning in real-world scenarios, pitch policies in a mock town hall, and practice debating critics using evidence and empathy.

🌎 Who Should Take This Course?

This course is ideal for:

• Healthcare workers, students, and professionals
• Activists, organizers, and political advocates
• Journalists and media creators covering healthcare issues
• Concerned citizens ready to take action
• Anyone interested in transforming the U.S. healthcare system