🔗 Share this article

Deductibles. In-network. Out-of-network. Premium health services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Shared insurance. Benefit advisers. Coverage agents. Medical advisors. Affordable Care Act. Health Maintenance Organization. PPO. Exclusive Provider Organization. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. Health Savings Account. FSA. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. EOB. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. 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 companies – or for households – appears to require it requires a PhD in medical insurance.

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

According to recent research, typical households pays $27,000 each year on medical coverage (increasing by 6% compared to last year). The average employer health insurance cost is projected to surpass $17,000 per employee in 2026, a 9.5% jump from 2025.

Now the government is shut down due to political disagreements over subsidies which analysts predict could cause premium increases up to 100% for millions of Americans.

When Will We Truly Examine Universal Healthcare?

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 suggesting national healthcare. I'm proposing for our current Medicare system – an established insurance framework – merely extend to include all citizens. The existing system doesn't change. How our healthcare providers receive payment changes. Trust me, they will adjust.

The Way Universal Coverage Could Function

Universal healthcare coverage would require contributions from workers and companies. In similar programs, an employee earning average wages pays about five point three percent toward medical coverage. The company pays approximately thirteen point seventy-five percent.

Does this seem like a lot? Unless you contrast it to what average US resident spends. I know multiple clients who are easily contributing between eight to fifteen percent of their employee wages for medical benefits. And keep in mind that with comprehensive systems, these contributions include retirement benefits, sick pay, maternity leave and unemployment benefits in addition to funding medical services. When you add those costs versus our current spending on retirement programs, job loss coverage and paid time off, the difference decreases.

Execution in the US

For America, 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 an employee and company payments. And, like much of federal military, technology, social programs and infrastructure, the system could be managed to third-party administrators instead of federal agencies.

Benefits for Small Businesses

Universal healthcare coverage would be a huge benefit for entrepreneurs such as my company. It would put us on a level playing field 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, instead of individual transactions to benefit firms and coverage administrators).

It would make simpler for us to budget our yearly costs, rather than enduring the complex (and fruitless) theater of negotiating with major insurers that we must do each year. Because it's simplified, there would exist improved comprehension about benefits by our employees – as opposed to the current system which require them to decipher the complexities of current options. Additionally there would certainly be less liability for employers as we no longer have access to our employees' health histories for purposes of risk assessment and different options.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as capitalist as possible. But I've learned that government play important functions in our lives, from providing defense to supporting essential systems. Ensuring medical coverage for everyone through a national insurance system enhances economic foundations. It's a better, simpler approach for entrepreneurs that employ more than half of the country's workers and fund half the economic output. It makes it possible employees to enjoy better health, have better attendance and be more productive.

Considering Challenges

Are there a million considerations I'm not addressing? Of course there are. Given all the healthcare cost increases we've seen in recent years, it's clear that the Affordable Care Act isn't functioning very well. I understand that America isn't a small, Scandinavian country where major reforms are easier to implement. However extending universal Medicare, even with increased taxation required, would remain a better and more affordable approach both for managing medical expenses and ensuring coverage for all citizens.

Need for Realistic Evaluation

As Americans, must tone down our own arrogance. America's medical care isn't exceptional. The US places significantly behind numerous nations with the best healthcare globally, based on comprehensive research. Maybe one positive aspect amid current situation could be that we undertake a hard look in the mirror and acknowledge that major reforms are necessary.