High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Single-payer health care is a public service financing the delivery of near-universal or universal health care to a given population as defined by age, citizenship, residency, or any other demographic. Single-payer health insurance collects all medical fees and then pays for all services through a single government (or government-related) source.In wealthy nations, this kind of publicly-managed health insurance is typically extended to all citizens and legal residents.