Speech & Debate: “Health Insurance” to be 2026-27 National High School Policy Debate Topic
INDIANAPOLIS — The NFHS has announced the selection of “Health Insurance” as the National High School Policy Debate Topic for the 2026-27 academic year.
“Health Insurance” was chosen over “Nuclear Weapons” by a 23-8 vote in the final balloting process, which saw participation from 31 state associations, the National Speech and Debate Association, the National Catholic Forensic League, the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues and the National Debate Coaches Association.
“We are pleased to announce ‘Health Insurance’ as the 2026–27 National High School Policy Debate Topic,” said Chris Paulson, NFHS director of performing arts and sports. “Few issues are as timely or directly connected to the lives of students and their families as access to health care and insurance coverage. This topic invites high school debaters to examine complex domestic policy questions and engage in thoughtful analysis of a system that affects nearly every American. Through this debate, students will strengthen their research, advocacy and critical-thinking skills while exploring one of the most relevant public policy issues in our nation today.”
The debate resolution will be as follows: “The United States federal government should establish national health insurance in the United States.”
Three stages of voting were used to determine the winning topic. The first was held during the NFHS Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting August 1-3, 2025, where 68 attendees from 21 states and multiple national organizations compiled five potential choices. In addition to Health Insurance and Nuclear Weapons, other options included “Carbon Pricing,” “Corporate Control” and “Energy.”
Over the next two months, 35 organizations ranked the five options in order of their preference, with the two lowest aggregate totals then advancing to the final vote. The Health Insurance topic ranked highest in the voting of those final five topics. Use of the final ballot ensures a majority of coaches across the nation favor the chosen topic area and resolution.
For more information about the 2026-27 National High School Policy Debate Topic, including a visual breakdown of how each organization voted on the final ballot, please visit:
https://nfhs.org/stories/nfhs-
