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Out-of-pocket costs. Preferred providers. Out-of-network. Premium health services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Co-insurance. Benefit advisers. Insurance brokers. Medical advisors. ACA. HMO. PPO. EPO. POS. HDHP. Health Savings Account. Flexible Spending Account. HRA. EOB. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Small Business Health Options Program. Single coverage. Family coverage. Insurance subsidies.

Baffled? You should be. Who comprehends this complex system? Not the typical entrepreneur. Neither the average worker. Choosing the appropriate medical coverage for companies – or for households – seems like it requires a PhD in healthcare.

Our Medical System Is More Than Complex, It's Expensive

According to recent research, typical households pays $twenty-seven thousand annually for their health insurance (increasing by 6% from last year). Typical company healthcare expense is expected to exceed $seventeen thousand per employee in 2026, an increase of 9.5% from 2025.

Currently federal operations has ceased functioning due to partisan disputes over subsidies that experts say could cause a doubling of premiums for numerous US citizens.

When Might We Seriously Consider National Health Insurance?

When will we genuinely evaluate a national health insurance program in the United States? I'm convinced we're getting closer because this can't continue.

I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm proposing that our already existing Medicare program – an insurance system – simply expand to cover everyone. The existing system remains intact. How our healthcare providers get paid would change. Trust me, they'll adapt.

The Way Universal Coverage Would Work

A national health insurance program would need payments from both employees and employers. In similar programs, an employee making moderate income must contribute approximately 5.3% to their healthcare. Their employer pays approximately thirteen point seventy-five percent.

Does this appear expensive? Unless you contrast it to what average US resident spends. I know dozens of businesses that are easily contributing anywhere from eight to fifteen percent of their employee wages to their healthcare costs. And keep in mind that with inclusive programs, those payments include retirement benefits, illness coverage, maternity leave and job loss protection along with funding healthcare facilities. When including these expenses compared with what we pay for our retirement plans, job loss coverage and paid time off, the difference decreases.

Implementation in the US

In the US, universal healthcare funding would raise existing Medicare taxes, a framework already established. It ought to be means-based – wealthier individuals would pay more than lower-income earners. There would be both worker and employer contribution. And, like many our government's military, IT, social programs and infrastructure, the program should be outsourced by private contractors rather than federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

Universal healthcare coverage would be a significant advantage for small businesses like mine. It would put us on a level playing field with our larger competitors who can afford superior coverage. It would render management much easier (a payroll deduction processed similarly to social security and Medicare taxes, instead of individual transactions to benefit firms and coverage administrators).

It would enable simpler to plan expenses annual expenditures, instead of enduring the complex (and ineffective) process of negotiating with the big insurance providers required annually every year. Because it's simplified, there would be a better understanding about benefits among workers – contrasted with the current system which require them to interpret the complexities of current options. Additionally there would certainly be less liability for employers as we no longer have access to our employees' health histories for purposes of weighing risks and different options.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as capitalist as they get. However I recognize that government has a significant role in our lives, including national security to funding needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare for everyone via universal healthcare strengthens our economy's infrastructure. It represents superior, simpler approach for small businesses that employ more than half of the country's workers and fund half the economic output. It enables employees to enjoy better health, come to work more often and increase productivity.

Considering Challenges

Are there a million considerations I'm not addressing? Certainly. Given rising medical expenses we've seen recently, it's clear that the Affordable Care Act isn't functioning very well. And I realize that America isn't a compact European nation where big changes can be readily adopted. However extending universal Medicare, despite the additional taxes that would be incurred, would remain a superior and less expensive strategy for not only managing medical expenses but providing access for all citizens.

Need for Realistic Evaluation

We as Americans, must reduce national pride. America's medical care isn't exceptional. The US places significantly behind many other countries in healthcare quality globally, based on comprehensive research. Perhaps a positive aspect in this current situation could be that we undertake a hard look at ourselves and acknowledge that major reforms are necessary.