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Out-of-pocket costs. Preferred providers. Non-preferred providers. Premium health services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Co-insurance. Insurance consultants. Insurance brokers. Medical advisors. ACA. HMO. Preferred Provider Organization. EPO. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. HSA. FSA. HRA. EOB. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. SHOP. Single coverage. Dependent coverage. Premium tax credits.

Baffled? It's understandable. Who understands this complex system? Certainly not the average business owner. Neither the average employee. Choosing the right healthcare insurance for our business – or for our families – seems like demands a PhD in medical insurance.

The Healthcare System Is More Than Complicated, It Is Costly

According to recent research, the average family spends $27,000 annually for their health insurance (up 6% from last year). The average employer health insurance cost is expected to exceed $17,000 for each worker by 2026, a 9.5% jump from 2025.

Currently federal operations is shut down due to political disagreements over tax credits which analysts predict could cause a doubling of premiums for numerous US citizens.

When Might We Seriously Consider National Health Insurance?

When will we seriously consider universal healthcare coverage in the United States? I'm convinced we're getting closer because this situation is unsustainable.

I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm proposing for our current Medicare program – an insurance system – merely extend to include all citizens. The existing system remains intact. How medical professionals receive payment changes. Trust me, they will adjust.

The Way Universal Coverage Could Function

A national health insurance program would require contributions from both employees and employers. In comparable systems, a worker making average wages pays about 5.3% to their healthcare. The company must contribute approximately 13.75%.

Does this appear expensive? Not if you contrast it to what the typical American pays. I can name dozens of businesses that are routinely paying between eight to fifteen percent of their employee wages to their healthcare costs. Remember that with inclusive programs, these contributions also cover pension plans, illness coverage, parental benefits and job loss protection along with funding medical services. When you add these expenses versus what we pay on retirement programs, unemployment insurance and paid time off, the gap narrows.

Execution in the US

In the US, universal healthcare funding would raise our Medicare tax deduction, a framework already established. It ought to be means-based – those at higher income levels would pay more than lower-income earners. There would be both worker and employer contribution. And, like much of federal military, technology, welfare services and infrastructure, the system could be managed by private contractors rather than federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

A national health insurance program would be a significant advantage for entrepreneurs such as my company. It would put small companies in equal competition with our larger competitors that can pay for superior coverage. It would make administration significantly simpler (a payroll deduction remitted like retirement and Medicare taxes, instead of individual transactions to insurance companies and coverage administrators).

It would enable it easier to plan expenses our yearly costs, instead of going through the complex (and fruitless) theater of bargaining with the big insurance providers that we must do every year. Due to simplification, there would exist improved comprehension of coverage among workers – as opposed to existing arrangements where they have to interpret the complexities of existing plans. And there would certainly be less liability for companies since we wouldn't have access to our employees' medical records for purposes of risk assessment and different options.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as pro-market as possible. But I've learned that government play important functions in society, from providing defense to funding essential systems. Providing healthcare for everyone via universal healthcare enhances economic foundations. It's a better, easier system for entrepreneurs which hire the majority of American employees and fund half the economic output. It enables employees to enjoy better health, come to work more often and increase productivity.

Considering Challenges

Exist numerous factors I haven't covered? Certainly. Given rising medical expenses experienced in recent years, it's clear that current healthcare legislation is not working very well. I understand that America isn't a small, Scandinavian country where big changes are easier to implement. But expanding Medicare for all, even with increased taxation that would be incurred, would remain a better and more affordable strategy both for controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage to everyone.

Need for Honest Assessment

As Americans, we need to tone down our own arrogance. Our healthcare system isn't so great. We rank well below numerous nations with the best healthcare globally, according to major studies. Perhaps a bright spot in this present circumstances could be that we take a hard look at ourselves and acknowledge that major reforms need to happen.