🔗 Share this article

Deductibles. In-network. Non-preferred providers. Premium health services. Out-of-pocket expenses. Fixed payment. Co-insurance. Benefit advisers. Insurance brokers. Healthcare consultants. Affordable Care Act. HMO. Preferred Provider Organization. Exclusive Provider Organization. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. Health Savings Account. Flexible Spending Account. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. Explanation of Benefits. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Small Business Health Options Program. Individual coverage. Family coverage. Insurance subsidies.

Baffled? You should be. Who comprehends all this stuff? Not the typical entrepreneur. Neither the average worker. Selecting the right healthcare insurance for our business – or for households – appears to require it requires a PhD in medical insurance.

Our Medical System Isn't Just Complicated, It's Costly

Based on a recent study, the average family pays $twenty-seven thousand annually on medical coverage (increasing by 6% from last year). The average employer health insurance cost is projected to surpass $seventeen thousand per employee in 2026, a 9.5% jump from 2025.

Currently federal operations is shut down because partisan disputes over tax credits that experts say will lead to a doubling of premiums for numerous US citizens.

When Might We Seriously Consider National Health Insurance?

How soon might we seriously consider universal healthcare coverage 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 advocating that our already existing Medicare program – an insurance system – merely extend to include all citizens. Our infrastructure remains intact. How our healthcare providers get paid would change. Believe me, they will adjust.

How National Health Insurance Would Work

Universal healthcare coverage would need contributions from both employees and employers. In similar programs, an employee earning moderate income must contribute approximately 5.3% toward medical coverage. The company must contribute about 13.75%.

Does this seem like a lot? Unless you contrast that with what average American pays. I can name multiple clients that are routinely paying anywhere from 8% to 15% of their employee wages to their healthcare costs. And keep in mind that with comprehensive systems, those payments also cover pension plans, illness coverage, parental benefits and unemployment benefits in addition to supporting medical services. When you add those costs versus what we pay on retirement programs, unemployment insurance and paid time off, the gap narrows.

Execution for America

In the US, a national health premium would raise our Medicare tax deduction, a framework already established. It should be means-based – wealthier individuals would contribute higher amounts than those earning less. There would be both worker and company payments. And, like many our government's military, technology, social programs and transportation services, the program could be managed by private contractors instead of federal agencies.

Benefits for Small Businesses

A national health insurance program represents a significant advantage for small businesses like mine. It would place small companies in equal competition against big corporations who can afford superior coverage. It would make management much easier (a payroll deduction remitted like social security and healthcare taxes, instead of separate payments to benefit firms and coverage administrators).

It would enable simpler for us to budget our yearly costs, instead of going through the complicated (and fruitless) process of negotiating with the big insurance providers that we must do each year. Due to simplification, there would exist improved comprehension about benefits among workers – as opposed to the current system where they have to interpret the complexities of current options. Additionally there would definitely exist reduced responsibility for employers since we wouldn't would be privy to workers' medical records for risk assessment and alternative plans.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as pro-market as possible. However I recognize that government has a significant role in our lives, from providing defense to supporting needed infrastructure. Ensuring medical coverage for everyone through a national insurance system enhances economic foundations. It's a better, easier system for small businesses that employ the majority of the country's workers and fund half of our GDP. It makes it possible employees to enjoy better health, have better attendance and increase productivity.

Considering Challenges

Exist a million considerations I'm not addressing? Certainly. Given all the healthcare cost increases experienced in recent years, it's evident that the Affordable Care Act isn't functioning very well. I understand that America isn't a small, Scandinavian country where major reforms can be readily adopted. However extending Medicare for all, despite the additional taxes required, would still be a superior and less expensive strategy for not only managing medical expenses but providing access to everyone.

Time for Honest Assessment

As Americans, we need to reduce our own arrogance. Our healthcare system isn't exceptional. We rank significantly behind many other countries in healthcare quality in the world, according to major studies. Perhaps a bright spot in this current situation could be that we undertake serious examination at ourselves and acknowledge that major reforms need to happen.