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Deductibles. In-network. Non-preferred providers. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Co-payment. Shared insurance. Benefit advisers. Coverage agents. Medical advisors. Affordable Care Act. HMO. Preferred Provider Organization. Exclusive Provider Organization. Point of Service. High Deductible Health Plan. HSA. FSA. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. EOB. COBRA. SHOP. Individual coverage. Family coverage. Insurance subsidies.

Baffled? It's understandable. Who understands all this stuff? Certainly not the average entrepreneur. Nor the typical employee. Choosing the appropriate medical coverage for companies – or for our families – appears to require it requires a PhD in healthcare.

Our Healthcare System Is More Than Complex, It Is Expensive

Based on recent research, typical households spends $27,000 each year on medical coverage (increasing by 6% from last year). Typical company healthcare expense is expected to exceed $17,000 for each worker by 2026, an increase of 9.5% compared to 2025.

Now the government is shut down due to partisan disputes regarding subsidies that experts say could cause a doubling of premiums for numerous US citizens.

When Will We Truly Examine Universal Healthcare?

How soon might we seriously consider universal healthcare coverage in the United States? I have to believe we're approaching that point since this can't continue.

I'm not suggesting government-run medicine. I'm advocating that our already existing Medicare system – an insurance system – merely extend to include all citizens. Our infrastructure remains intact. The way our healthcare providers get paid changes. Believe me, they will adjust.

The Way National Health Insurance Could Function

A national health insurance program would need contributions from both employees and employers. In comparable systems, a worker earning moderate income must contribute about 5.3% to their healthcare. The company pays approximately thirteen point seventy-five percent.

Does this appear expensive? Not if you compare that with what average American pays. I can name dozens of businesses that are easily contributing between 8% to 15% of their employee wages to their healthcare costs. Remember that with inclusive programs, those payments include retirement benefits, sick pay, maternity leave and job loss protection in addition to supporting medical services. When you add those costs versus what we pay for our retirement plans, unemployment insurance and paid time off, the difference decreases.

Execution in the US

For America, a national health premium would raise our Medicare tax deduction, a system that is already in place. It should be income-adjusted – wealthier individuals would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. This includes both an employee and company payments. Similar to many federal military, IT, social programs and transportation services, the system should be outsourced to third-party administrators rather than a government office.

Advantages for Entrepreneurs

Universal healthcare coverage represents a huge benefit for small businesses like mine. It would put us on a level playing field against big corporations who can afford superior coverage. It would make management significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to retirement and Medicare taxes, rather than separate payments to insurance companies and coverage administrators).

It would make it easier to plan expenses annual expenditures, instead of going through the complex (and ineffective) theater of negotiating with major insurers that we must do each year. Because it's simplified, there would be a better understanding about benefits among workers – as opposed to existing arrangements which require them to interpret the complexities of current options. And there would definitely exist less liability for employers since we wouldn't would be privy to workers' health histories for risk assessment and different options.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as capitalist as possible. However I recognize that government play important functions in our lives, from providing defense to supporting essential systems. Providing healthcare to all through a national insurance system enhances our economy's infrastructure. 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 enables employees to be healthier, come to work more often and increase productivity.

Addressing Concerns

Exist a million considerations I haven't covered? Certainly. Given rising medical expenses experienced recently, it's clear that the Affordable Care Act is not working effectively. And I realize that America isn't a compact European nation where big changes can be readily adopted. However extending universal Medicare, despite increased taxation required, would still be a better and more affordable approach for not only controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage for all citizens.

Time for Honest Assessment

We as Americans, we need to reduce our own arrogance. Our healthcare system isn't so great. We rank well below numerous nations in healthcare quality globally, according to comprehensive research. Perhaps a positive aspect in this current situation could be that we undertake serious examination in the mirror and agree that big changes need to happen.