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Deductibles. In-network. Out-of-network. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Co-insurance. Insurance consultants. Insurance brokers. Medical advisors. Affordable Care Act. HMO. PPO. EPO. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. HSA. Flexible Spending Account. HRA. Explanation of Benefits. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. SHOP. Single coverage. Dependent coverage. Premium tax credits.

Confused? It's understandable. Who understands all this stuff? Certainly not the average entrepreneur. Nor the typical worker. Selecting the right medical coverage for our business – or for our families – appears to require demands advanced expertise in healthcare.

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

According to a recent study, the average family spends $27,000 annually on medical coverage (increasing by 6% from last year). Typical company healthcare expense is expected to exceed $seventeen thousand per employee in 2026, a 9.5% jump from 2025.

Currently the government is shut down because political disagreements regarding subsidies that experts say could cause premium increases up to 100% for millions of Americans.

When Might We Truly Examine National Health Insurance?

How soon might we seriously consider a national health insurance program here in America? I'm convinced we're getting closer since this can't continue.

I'm not proposing government-run medicine. I'm advocating that our already existing Medicare program – an insurance system – simply expand to cover everyone. The existing system doesn't change. How medical professionals get paid would change. Trust me, they will adjust.

How National Health Insurance Could Function

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

Does this appear expensive? Not if you contrast it to what average American pays. I can name multiple clients who are routinely paying between eight to fifteen percent of their employee wages to their healthcare costs. And keep in mind that in inclusive programs, these contributions include retirement benefits, illness coverage, parental benefits and job loss protection along with funding medical services. When you add those costs versus 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 raise our Medicare tax deduction, a framework already established. It ought to be means-based – those at higher income levels would pay more than those earning less. This includes both worker and employer contribution. Similar to many federal military, technology, social programs and infrastructure, the system should be outsourced by private contractors rather than federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

Universal healthcare coverage would be a significant advantage for small businesses such as my company. It would put us on a level playing field against big corporations that can pay for superior coverage. It would render management significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to social security and Medicare taxes, rather than individual transactions to benefit firms and insurance providers).

It would enable simpler to plan expenses annual expenditures, rather than enduring the complex (and fruitless) theater of bargaining with the big insurance providers that we must do each year. Due to simplification, there would be a better understanding about benefits among workers – as opposed to existing arrangements which require them to decipher the complexities of existing plans. Additionally there would certainly be reduced responsibility for employers as we no longer would be privy to workers' 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 play important functions in our lives, from providing defense to supporting essential systems. Providing healthcare for everyone through a national insurance system enhances our economy's infrastructure. It represents superior, easier system for small businesses which hire the majority of American employees and fund half the economic output. It enables for workers 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 effectively. I understand that we're not a compact European nation where big changes are easier to implement. But expanding Medicare for all, even with increased taxation that would be incurred, would still be a better and more affordable strategy for not only controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage to everyone.

Need for Realistic Evaluation

As Americans, we need to reduce national pride. America's medical care isn't so great. The US places significantly behind numerous nations with the best healthcare globally, according to comprehensive research. Perhaps a positive aspect amid present circumstances is that we take serious examination at ourselves and acknowledge that big changes are necessary.