🔗 Share this article

Out-of-pocket costs. Preferred providers. Out-of-network. Concierge medical services. Out-of-pocket expenses. Co-payment. Co-insurance. Insurance consultants. Coverage agents. Medical advisors. Affordable Care Act. HMO. Preferred Provider Organization. EPO. POS. HDHP. Health Savings Account. FSA. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. EOB. COBRA. SHOP. Single coverage. Family coverage. Insurance subsidies.

Confused? You should be. Who comprehends this complex system? Certainly not the average business owner. Nor the typical worker. Selecting the right healthcare insurance for our business – or for our families – seems like demands advanced expertise in medical insurance.

Our Healthcare System Is More Than Complex, It Is Costly

Based on a recent study, the average family pays $27,000 annually for their health insurance (increasing by 6% from last year). Typical employer health insurance cost is expected to exceed $seventeen thousand per employee in 2026, an increase of 9.5% compared to 2025.

Now the government is shut down because political disagreements regarding subsidies 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 a national health insurance program in the United States? I'm convinced we're approaching that point because this can't continue.

I'm not proposing government-run medicine. I'm proposing for our current Medicare system – an established insurance framework – simply expand to include all citizens. The existing system doesn't change. How medical professionals receive payment would change. Believe me, they will adjust.

The Way Universal Coverage Would Work

Universal healthcare coverage would require payments from workers and companies. In comparable systems, an employee making moderate income must contribute about 5.3% toward medical coverage. The company pays about thirteen point seventy-five percent.

Does this seem like a lot? Unless you compare it to what average US resident spends. I can name dozens of clients who are routinely paying anywhere from eight to fifteen percent of payroll costs to their healthcare costs. Remember that with comprehensive systems, those payments also cover retirement benefits, sick pay, parental benefits and job loss protection along with funding healthcare facilities. When you add these expenses compared with our current spending for our retirement plans, unemployment insurance and vacation benefits, the gap narrows.

Implementation for America

In the US, universal healthcare funding would increase our Medicare tax deduction, a system that is already in place. It should be means-based – wealthier individuals would pay more than those earning less. This includes both an employee and employer contribution. And, like much of federal military, IT, welfare services and transportation services, the program could be managed by private contractors instead of federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

A national health insurance program would be a huge benefit 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 much easier (a payroll deduction processed similarly to social security and Medicare taxes, rather than individual transactions to benefit firms and coverage administrators).

It would enable it easier for us to budget annual expenditures, instead of enduring the complicated (and fruitless) process of negotiating with major insurers that we must do each year. Due to simplification, there would exist a better understanding about benefits by our employees – as opposed to existing arrangements where they have to decipher the complexities of existing plans. Additionally there would certainly be less liability for employers since we wouldn't would be privy to our employees' medical records for weighing risks and different options.

Capitalist Perspective

I'm as pro-market as they get. However I recognize that government play important functions in our lives, including national security to supporting needed infrastructure. Ensuring medical coverage to all through a national insurance system enhances our economy's infrastructure. It's a better, simpler approach for small businesses that employ the majority of the country's workers and fund half of our GDP. It makes it possible for workers to enjoy better health, come to work more often and be more productive.

Addressing Concerns

Exist a million considerations I haven't covered? Of course there are. Given all the healthcare cost increases experienced recently, it's evident that current healthcare legislation is not working effectively. And I realize that we're not a small, Scandinavian country where major reforms can be readily adopted. But expanding Medicare for all, even with the additional taxes required, would remain a better and less expensive strategy for not only managing medical expenses but providing access for all citizens.

Need for Honest Assessment

We as Americans, we need to reduce national pride. Our healthcare system isn't exceptional. The US places significantly behind numerous nations in healthcare quality globally, according to comprehensive research. Perhaps a positive aspect in this present circumstances is that we undertake a hard look in the mirror and acknowledge that major reforms are necessary.