🔗 Share this article

Deductibles. Preferred providers. Non-preferred providers. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Co-payment. Shared insurance. Benefit advisers. Coverage agents. Medical advisors. Affordable Care Act. Health Maintenance Organization. PPO. Exclusive Provider Organization. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. HSA. Flexible Spending Account. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. EOB. COBRA. Small Business Health Options Program. Single coverage. Family coverage. Premium tax credits.

Baffled? It's understandable. Who comprehends this complex system? Certainly not the average business owner. Neither the average employee. Selecting the right medical coverage for our business – or for our families – appears to require it requires a PhD in healthcare.

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

According to recent research, the average family pays $twenty-seven thousand each year for their health insurance (up 6% compared to last year). The average employer health insurance cost is expected to exceed $17,000 per employee by 2026, a 9.5% jump compared to 2025.

Now federal operations has ceased functioning due to partisan disputes over subsidies that experts say will lead to a doubling of premiums for numerous US citizens.

When Will We Seriously Consider National Health Insurance?

How soon might we seriously consider universal healthcare coverage here in America? I'm convinced we're getting closer because this can't continue.

I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm advocating that our already existing Medicare program – an insurance system – merely extend to include all citizens. Our infrastructure doesn't change. The way our healthcare providers receive payment changes. Believe me, they'll adapt.

How National Health Insurance Would Work

A national health insurance program would require contributions from both employees and employers. In similar programs, an employee making average wages must contribute about five point three percent toward medical coverage. Their employer must contribute approximately 13.75%.

Does this appear like a lot? Not if you compare it to what average American pays. I know multiple clients that are easily contributing between 8% to 15% of their employee wages to their healthcare costs. Remember that with comprehensive systems, these contributions include retirement benefits, illness coverage, maternity leave and job loss protection along with supporting medical services. When you add these expenses compared with our current spending for our retirement plans, job loss coverage and paid time off, the gap narrows.

Implementation in the US

For America, universal healthcare funding would raise our Medicare tax deduction, a system that is already in place. It ought to be income-adjusted – wealthier individuals would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. There would be both worker and employer contribution. Similar to much of federal military, IT, welfare services and infrastructure, the system should be outsourced by private contractors instead of a government office.

Advantages for Small Businesses

Universal healthcare coverage represents a huge benefit for entrepreneurs like mine. It would put small companies in equal competition with our larger competitors who can afford better plans. It would render administration much easier (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to social security and Medicare taxes, rather than separate payments to benefit firms and insurance providers).

It would enable it easier to plan expenses our yearly costs, instead of enduring the complex (and ineffective) theater of negotiating with the big insurance providers that we must do each year. Due to simplification, there would exist a better understanding of coverage among workers – as opposed to existing arrangements which require them to decipher the complications of existing plans. And there would definitely exist less liability for employers since we wouldn't have access to our employees' health histories for purposes of weighing risks and alternative plans.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as capitalist as possible. However I recognize that public institutions play important functions in our lives, from providing defense to funding essential systems. Providing healthcare for everyone through a national insurance system enhances our economy's infrastructure. It represents superior, simpler approach for small businesses that employ more than half of American employees and fund half of our GDP. It enables employees to be healthier, come to work more often and be more productive.

Considering Challenges

Are there numerous factors I haven't covered? Certainly. But with all the healthcare cost increases we've seen in recent years, it's clear that current healthcare legislation is not working very well. I understand that we're not a compact European nation where major reforms can be readily adopted. But expanding universal Medicare, despite the additional taxes that would be incurred, would remain a better and less expensive approach for not only controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage to everyone.

Time for Honest Assessment

As Americans, we need to tone down our own arrogance. America's medical care isn't so great. We rank significantly behind many other countries with the best healthcare in the world, based on major studies. Maybe one bright spot amid current situation is that we undertake serious examination in the mirror and agree that big changes need to happen.