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Out-of-pocket costs. In-network. Non-preferred providers. Concierge medical services. Out-of-pocket expenses. Fixed payment. Shared insurance. Insurance consultants. Insurance brokers. Healthcare consultants. Affordable Care Act. Health Maintenance Organization. PPO. Exclusive Provider Organization. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. Health Savings Account. Flexible Spending Account. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. EOB. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Small Business Health Options Program. Individual coverage. Family coverage. Premium tax credits.

Baffled? It's understandable. Who understands all this stuff? Certainly not the average entrepreneur. Nor the typical employee. Selecting the appropriate medical coverage for our business – or for households – appears to require it requires advanced expertise in medical insurance.

The Medical System Is More Than Complicated, It Is Expensive

Based on a recent study, the average family spends $twenty-seven thousand annually for their health insurance (increasing by 6% compared to last year). The average company healthcare expense is projected to surpass $seventeen thousand for each worker by 2026, an increase of 9.5% compared to 2025.

Now the government is shut down due to political disagreements over tax credits which analysts predict could cause premium increases up to 100% for millions of Americans.

When Might We Truly Examine National Health Insurance?

How soon might we genuinely evaluate universal healthcare coverage in the United States? I'm convinced we're getting closer since this situation is unsustainable.

I'm not proposing government-run medicine. I'm advocating for our current Medicare system – an insurance system – simply expand to cover everyone. Our infrastructure remains intact. How our healthcare providers receive payment would change. Trust me, they will adjust.

The Way Universal Coverage Would Work

A national health insurance program would require contributions from both employees and employers. In comparable systems, an employee earning moderate income pays approximately 5.3% toward medical coverage. The company pays about 13.75%.

Does this seem like a lot? Unless you contrast it to what the typical American pays. I can name dozens of clients that are easily contributing anywhere from eight to fifteen percent of payroll costs to their healthcare costs. And keep in mind that with comprehensive systems, those payments also cover pension plans, illness coverage, parental benefits and unemployment benefits in addition to funding healthcare facilities. When including these expenses compared with our current spending for our retirement plans, job loss coverage and paid time off, the gap narrows.

Execution in the US

In the US, a national health premium would increase our Medicare tax deduction, a framework already established. It ought to be income-adjusted – those at higher income levels would contribute higher amounts than those earning less. There would be both worker and company payments. Similar to much of our government's defense, technology, social programs and infrastructure, the system could be managed to third-party administrators rather than a government office.

Benefits for Small Businesses

Universal healthcare coverage would be a significant advantage for entrepreneurs like mine. It would put small companies in equal competition with our larger competitors who can afford superior coverage. It would make management significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding remitted like social security and Medicare taxes, rather than separate payments to insurance companies and insurance providers).

It would enable it easier for us to budget our yearly costs, instead of going through the complicated (and fruitless) process of bargaining with major insurers that we must do every year. Because it's simplified, there would be improved comprehension about benefits by our employees – as opposed to existing arrangements where they have to decipher the complications of current options. Additionally there would certainly be reduced responsibility for companies since we wouldn't have access to our employees' medical records for weighing risks and alternative plans.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as pro-market as they get. But I've learned that public institutions has a significant role in society, from providing defense to funding essential systems. Providing healthcare to all via universal healthcare enhances economic foundations. It's a better, easier system for small businesses that employ more than half of the country's workers and fund half the economic output. It makes it possible employees to enjoy better health, come to work more often and be more productive.

Considering Challenges

Are there a million considerations I'm not addressing? Certainly. But with rising medical expenses we've seen in recent years, it's clear that current healthcare legislation is not working effectively. I understand that we're not a small, Scandinavian country where big changes can be readily adopted. However extending universal Medicare, even with increased taxation required, would still be a superior and less expensive strategy for not only managing medical expenses and ensuring coverage for all citizens.

Need for Honest Assessment

As Americans, must tone down our own arrogance. Our healthcare system isn't so great. The US places significantly behind many other countries with the best healthcare in the world, based on comprehensive research. Maybe one positive aspect in this current situation could be that we take a hard look at ourselves and acknowledge that major reforms are necessary.