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Out-of-pocket costs. Preferred providers. Out-of-network. Premium health services. Personal healthcare costs. Co-payment. Co-insurance. Benefit advisers. Insurance brokers. Healthcare consultants. Affordable Care Act. Health Maintenance Organization. Preferred Provider Organization. EPO. Point of Service. High Deductible Health Plan. Health Savings Account. Flexible Spending Account. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. EOB. COBRA. SHOP. Single coverage. Family coverage. Premium tax credits.

Confused? You should be. Who understands this complex system? Certainly not the average business owner. Neither the average employee. Choosing the appropriate healthcare insurance for companies – or for households – seems like it requires advanced expertise in medical insurance.

Our Medical System Isn't Just Complex, It Is Costly

According to recent research, typical households pays $twenty-seven thousand annually on medical coverage (up 6% from last year). Typical employer health insurance cost is expected to surpass $seventeen thousand per employee in 2026, an increase of 9.5% from 2025.

Now the government is shut down due to political disagreements over subsidies that experts say could cause a doubling of premiums for millions of Americans.

When Might We Seriously Consider Universal Healthcare?

When will we genuinely evaluate a national health insurance program in the United States? I have to believe we're approaching that point because this can't continue.

I'm not suggesting government-run medicine. I'm proposing for our current Medicare system – an insurance system – merely extend to cover everyone. Our infrastructure remains intact. The way medical professionals receive payment changes. Believe me, they will adjust.

The Way Universal Coverage Could Function

A national health insurance program would need contributions from both workers and companies. In similar programs, an employee earning average wages pays approximately five point three percent toward medical coverage. Their employer pays approximately 13.75%.

Does this seem expensive? Not if you contrast it to what the typical US resident spends. I know multiple clients who are routinely paying between 8% to 15% of their employee wages for medical benefits. And keep in mind that in comprehensive systems, those payments include pension plans, sick pay, parental benefits and unemployment benefits along with funding healthcare facilities. When including these expenses compared with our current spending for our retirement plans, unemployment insurance and paid time off, 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 income-adjusted – wealthier individuals would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. This includes both worker and employer contribution. Similar to much of our government's military, technology, welfare services and infrastructure, the program should be outsourced by private contractors instead of federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

A national health insurance program represents a significant advantage for small businesses such as my company. It would place us on a level playing field with our larger competitors who can afford superior coverage. It would make management significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to retirement and Medicare taxes, instead of separate payments to benefit firms and coverage administrators).

It would enable simpler to plan expenses annual expenditures, instead of going through the complex (and fruitless) theater of negotiating with the big insurance providers that we must do every year. Because it's simplified, there would be improved comprehension of coverage among workers – contrasted with 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 have access to workers' medical records for purposes of risk assessment and different options.

Capitalist Perspective

I'm as pro-market as they get. But I've learned that government has a significant role in society, including national security to supporting needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare for everyone via universal healthcare strengthens economic foundations. It represents superior, simpler approach for small businesses which hire the majority of American employees and generate half the economic output. It enables for workers to enjoy better health, have better attendance and increase productivity.

Addressing Concerns

Are there numerous factors I'm not addressing? Certainly. Given all the healthcare cost increases experienced recently, it's clear that the Affordable Care Act is not working effectively. And I realize that we're not a small, Scandinavian country where major reforms are easier to implement. However extending Medicare for all, despite the additional taxes that would be incurred, would remain a superior and less expensive strategy both for controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage to everyone.

Need for Honest Assessment

We as Americans, we need to tone down national pride. America's medical care isn't so great. We rank significantly behind numerous nations with the best healthcare in the world, based on comprehensive research. Perhaps a positive aspect amid present circumstances is that we take serious examination at ourselves and agree that big changes need to happen.