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Out-of-pocket costs. Preferred providers. Out-of-network. Premium health services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Shared insurance. Benefit advisers. Insurance brokers. Healthcare consultants. ACA. HMO. Preferred Provider Organization. EPO. Point of Service. HDHP. HSA. FSA. HRA. Explanation of Benefits. COBRA. Small Business Health Options Program. Individual coverage. Dependent coverage. Premium tax credits.

Confused? It's understandable. Who comprehends all this stuff? Certainly not the average business owner. Nor the typical worker. Selecting the right healthcare insurance for companies – or for our families – appears to require it requires a PhD in medical insurance.

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

According to recent research, the average family spends $twenty-seven thousand annually for their health insurance (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 regarding subsidies which analysts predict could cause a doubling of premiums for millions of Americans.

When Will We Seriously Consider Universal Healthcare?

When will we genuinely evaluate a national health insurance program here in America? I'm convinced we're getting closer since this situation is unsustainable.

I'm not suggesting national healthcare. I'm proposing for our current Medicare program – an insurance system – simply expand to include all citizens. The existing system remains intact. How our healthcare providers get paid changes. Trust me, they will adjust.

The Way National Health Insurance Would Work

A national health insurance program would need payments from both employees and employers. In similar programs, a worker earning moderate income must contribute about five point three percent to their healthcare. Their employer pays about thirteen point seventy-five percent.

Does this appear like a lot? Not if you compare it to what the typical American pays. I can name dozens of clients that are easily contributing anywhere from eight to fifteen percent of payroll costs for medical benefits. And keep in mind that with comprehensive systems, those payments include pension plans, illness coverage, maternity leave and job loss protection in addition to funding medical services. When you add these expenses versus our current spending for our retirement plans, job loss coverage and vacation benefits, the difference decreases.

Implementation in the US

For America, a national health premium would raise our Medicare tax deduction, a framework that is already in place. It ought to be income-adjusted – those at higher income levels would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. There would be both an employee and employer contribution. And, like much of our government's defense, technology, welfare services and transportation services, the system could be managed by private contractors instead of a government office.

Benefits for Small Businesses

A national health insurance program represents a significant advantage for small businesses like mine. It would place us on a level playing field against big corporations who can afford superior coverage. It would make management much easier (a payroll deduction processed similarly to retirement and Medicare taxes, rather than separate payments to benefit firms and coverage administrators).

It would make it easier for us to budget our yearly costs, rather than going through the complicated (and fruitless) theater of negotiating with the big insurance providers that we must do each year. Due to simplification, there would be improved comprehension about benefits by our employees – contrasted with the current system which require them to interpret the complexities of existing plans. Additionally there would definitely exist less liability for employers since we wouldn't would be privy to workers' medical records for risk assessment and different options.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as capitalist as possible. But I've learned that public institutions play important functions in our lives, including national security to supporting essential systems. Providing healthcare to all via universal healthcare strengthens economic foundations. It represents superior, easier system for entrepreneurs which hire the majority of American employees and generate half the economic output. It makes it possible employees to enjoy better health, have better attendance and be more productive.

Considering Challenges

Are there numerous factors I'm not addressing? Of course there are. But with rising medical expenses experienced in recent years, it's evident that the Affordable Care Act is not working effectively. I understand that we're not a small, Scandinavian country where big changes can be readily adopted. However extending universal Medicare, even with the additional taxes that would be incurred, would still be a better and more affordable approach for not only managing medical expenses but providing access to everyone.

Need for Realistic Evaluation

As Americans, we need to tone down national pride. Our healthcare system isn't so great. The US places significantly behind many other countries in healthcare quality in the world, based on comprehensive research. Perhaps a positive aspect in this present circumstances could be that we take a hard look at ourselves and agree that big changes need to happen.