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Out-of-pocket costs. In-network. Out-of-network. Premium health services. Personal healthcare costs. Co-payment. Co-insurance. Insurance consultants. Insurance brokers. Healthcare consultants. Affordable Care Act. HMO. PPO. EPO. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. HSA. Flexible Spending Account. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. Explanation of Benefits. COBRA. SHOP. Individual coverage. Family coverage. Premium tax credits.

Confused? You should be. Who comprehends all this stuff? Certainly not the average entrepreneur. Nor the typical worker. Choosing the appropriate healthcare insurance for companies – or for households – seems like it requires a PhD in medical insurance.

The Medical System Isn't Just Complicated, It Is Costly

According to recent research, the average family pays $27,000 each year for their health insurance (up 6% compared to last year). The average company healthcare expense is projected to exceed $seventeen thousand for each worker in 2026, an increase of 9.5% from 2025.

Currently federal operations has ceased functioning because partisan disputes regarding tax credits that experts say will lead to 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 here in America? I have to believe we're getting closer since this situation is unsustainable.

I'm not proposing government-run medicine. I'm proposing that our already existing Medicare system – an insurance system – merely extend to cover everyone. Our infrastructure doesn't change. How medical professionals get paid changes. Believe me, they will adjust.

How National Health Insurance Would Work

A national health insurance program would require payments from both employees and employers. In comparable systems, an employee making moderate income must contribute about five point three percent toward medical coverage. The company pays approximately 13.75%.

Does this appear expensive? Unless you contrast that with what the typical US resident spends. I know dozens of businesses that are routinely paying between eight to fifteen percent of payroll costs to their healthcare costs. Remember that in comprehensive systems, those payments include retirement benefits, sick pay, parental benefits and job loss protection along with supporting healthcare facilities. When including those costs compared with what we pay for our retirement plans, job loss coverage and vacation benefits, the gap narrows.

Implementation in the US

For America, universal healthcare funding would increase existing Medicare taxes, a system that is already in place. It ought to be means-based – those at higher income levels would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. This includes both an employee and company payments. Similar to many our government's defense, IT, welfare services and transportation services, the program could be managed to third-party administrators instead of federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

Universal healthcare coverage would be a significant advantage for small businesses like mine. It would put small companies in equal competition with our larger competitors who can afford superior coverage. It would render management significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to social security and Medicare taxes, rather than individual transactions to insurance companies and coverage administrators).

It would enable simpler for us to budget annual expenditures, instead of enduring the complex (and ineffective) theater of bargaining with major insurers required annually every year. Due to simplification, there would exist a better understanding about benefits among workers – as opposed to existing arrangements where they have to interpret the complexities of existing plans. And there would definitely exist less liability for employers as we no longer would be privy to our employees' health histories for risk assessment and different options.

Capitalist Perspective

I'm as capitalist as they get. But I've learned that public institutions has a significant role in society, including national security to supporting needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare to all through a national insurance system enhances our economy's infrastructure. It's a better, easier system for small businesses which hire more than half of the country's workers and fund half of our GDP. It makes it possible for workers to be healthier, come to work more often and increase productivity.

Considering Challenges

Are there numerous factors I haven't covered? Of course there are. But with rising medical expenses we've seen in recent years, it's clear that the Affordable Care Act is not working very well. And I realize that America isn't a small, Scandinavian country where major reforms are easier to implement. But expanding universal Medicare, despite the additional taxes required, would remain a superior and less expensive approach for not only managing medical expenses and ensuring coverage for all citizens.

Need for Realistic Evaluation

As Americans, must reduce our own arrogance. America's medical care isn't exceptional. We rank significantly behind many other countries in healthcare quality in the world, according to major studies. Perhaps a positive aspect amid current situation could be that we take a hard look at ourselves and agree that big changes need to happen.