Universal healthcare may be defined as any healthcare system that ensures at least basic coverage to most, if not all, citizens of a country. Although it may be implemented in many ways, universal healthcare has been widely accepted by international humanitarian organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) as the best way to ensure the universal human right to health. So why is the US the only industrialized country without universal healthcare? What are the political, social, and economic factors that have prevented its successful introduction? This title explores what universal healthcare is, the many forms it can take-using examples from around the world-and the tumultuous history of attempts to implement a system of universal healthcare in the US. It then discusses the contentious issues and debates surrounding its adoption in the US, and provides supplemental materials including case studies, timeline of critical events, glossary, and directory of resources.