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Deductibles. Preferred providers. Non-preferred providers. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Co-payment. Co-insurance. Benefit advisers. Coverage agents. Medical advisors. ACA. Health Maintenance Organization. Preferred Provider Organization. EPO. Point of Service. High Deductible Health Plan. Health Savings Account. Flexible Spending Account. Health Reimbursement Arrangement. EOB. COBRA. SHOP. Individual coverage. Family coverage. Premium tax credits.

Baffled? It's understandable. Who understands this complex system? Certainly not the average business owner. Nor the typical employee. Selecting the right healthcare insurance for our business – or for households – appears to require it requires advanced expertise in healthcare.

The Healthcare System Is More Than Complicated, It's Expensive

Based on a recent study, the average family spends $27,000 annually on medical coverage (increasing by 6% from last year). The average company healthcare expense is projected to surpass $seventeen thousand per employee in 2026, an increase of 9.5% from 2025.

Now the government has ceased functioning because partisan disputes over subsidies that experts say will lead to premium increases up to 100% for numerous US citizens.

When Might We Seriously Consider Universal Healthcare?

How soon might we seriously consider universal healthcare coverage here in America? I have to believe we're approaching that point because this can't continue.

I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm proposing that our already existing Medicare system – an established insurance framework – merely extend to cover everyone. Our infrastructure remains intact. The way medical professionals get paid changes. Trust me, they will adjust.

The Way National Health Insurance Would Work

Universal healthcare coverage would require contributions from both workers and companies. In comparable systems, a worker earning average wages pays about five point three percent to their healthcare. The company must contribute about 13.75%.

Does this seem expensive? Unless you contrast that with what the typical American pays. I know multiple clients who are easily contributing between 8% to 15% of their employee wages to their healthcare costs. Remember that in comprehensive systems, those payments include pension plans, sick pay, parental benefits and job loss protection along with funding medical services. When including those costs versus what we pay on retirement programs, job loss coverage and vacation benefits, the gap narrows.

Execution for America

In the US, universal healthcare funding would increase our Medicare tax deduction, a framework already established. It should be means-based – those at higher income levels would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. This includes both worker and company payments. Similar to many our government's defense, technology, social programs and transportation services, the program could be managed to third-party administrators rather than federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

Universal healthcare coverage represents a huge benefit for small businesses such as my company. It would put us on a level playing field against big corporations that can pay for better plans. It would make management much easier (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to retirement and healthcare taxes, rather than individual transactions to benefit firms and coverage administrators).

It would make simpler for us to budget annual expenditures, rather than going through the complicated (and ineffective) theater of negotiating with the big insurance providers required annually every year. Due to simplification, there would exist a better understanding of coverage among workers – as opposed to existing arrangements where they have to interpret the complexities of current options. And there would definitely exist less liability for employers as we no longer have access to our employees' health histories for purposes of risk assessment and different options.

Capitalist Perspective

I'm as capitalist as they get. But I've learned that government play important functions in society, from providing defense to funding needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare for everyone via universal healthcare strengthens our economy's infrastructure. It's a better, simpler approach for small businesses that employ the majority of the country's workers and generate half of our GDP. It makes it possible employees to be healthier, come to work more often and increase productivity.

Addressing Concerns

Are there a million considerations I'm not addressing? Of course there are. But with all the healthcare cost increases 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 major reforms are easier to implement. But expanding universal Medicare, even with the additional taxes that would be incurred, would still be a better and more affordable strategy for not only managing medical expenses and ensuring coverage for all citizens.

Need for Realistic Evaluation

We as Americans, must tone down national pride. America's medical care isn't so great. The US places significantly behind many other countries with the best healthcare globally, based on comprehensive research. Perhaps a positive aspect amid current situation is that we undertake a hard look at ourselves and acknowledge that big changes are necessary.