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Out-of-pocket costs. In-network. Non-preferred providers. Premium health services. Personal healthcare costs. Co-payment. Shared insurance. Insurance consultants. Insurance brokers. Healthcare consultants. ACA. Health Maintenance Organization. PPO. EPO. POS. HDHP. HSA. Flexible Spending Account. HRA. EOB. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Small Business Health Options Program. Individual coverage. Dependent coverage. Insurance subsidies.

Baffled? You should be. Who understands all this stuff? Not the typical entrepreneur. Nor the typical worker. Choosing the appropriate healthcare insurance for our business – or for households – seems like demands advanced expertise in healthcare.

The Medical System Isn't Just Complicated, It's Expensive

According to a recent study, typical households pays $27,000 each year on medical coverage (up 6% from last year). Typical employer health insurance cost is expected to exceed $seventeen thousand per employee in 2026, a 9.5% jump from 2025.

Currently federal operations is shut down because political disagreements over tax credits that experts say will lead to a doubling of premiums for millions of Americans.

When Will We Truly Examine National Health Insurance?

When will we genuinely evaluate universal healthcare coverage here in America? I'm convinced we're getting closer because this can't continue.

I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm proposing for our current Medicare system – an insurance system – merely extend to cover everyone. Our infrastructure doesn't change. How medical professionals receive payment changes. Believe me, they'll adapt.

The Way National Health Insurance Would Work

A national health insurance program would need contributions from both employees and employers. In similar programs, an employee making average wages pays about five point three percent to their healthcare. The company pays approximately 13.75%.

Does this appear expensive? Unless you compare that with what the typical US resident spends. I know dozens of businesses who are routinely paying anywhere from eight to fifteen percent of payroll costs for medical benefits. Remember that with comprehensive systems, these contributions also cover pension plans, illness coverage, parental benefits and job loss protection along with funding medical services. When including those costs versus what we pay for our retirement plans, unemployment insurance and vacation benefits, the difference decreases.

Implementation in the US

For America, universal healthcare funding would raise our Medicare tax deduction, a system already established. It ought to be means-based – wealthier individuals would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. This includes both worker and company payments. Similar to much of federal military, IT, social programs and infrastructure, the system could be managed to third-party administrators instead of federal agencies.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

Universal healthcare coverage represents a significant advantage for small businesses like mine. It would place us on a level playing field with our larger competitors who can afford better plans. It would render administration significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding remitted like social security and healthcare taxes, rather than separate payments to insurance companies and insurance providers).

It would enable it easier for us to budget our yearly costs, instead of enduring the complex (and ineffective) process of bargaining with the big insurance providers that we must do every year. Because it's simplified, there would be a better understanding of coverage among workers – as opposed to existing arrangements where they have to decipher the complications of current options. Additionally there would definitely exist less liability for companies as we no longer would be privy to our employees' health histories for purposes of weighing risks and alternative plans.

Capitalist Perspective

I'm as pro-market as possible. But I've learned that public institutions play important functions in society, including national security to supporting needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare to all via universal healthcare strengthens our economy's infrastructure. It represents superior, simpler approach for small businesses that employ more than half of the country's workers and generate half of our GDP. It makes it possible employees to be healthier, have better attendance and increase productivity.

Considering Challenges

Exist a million considerations I haven't covered? Of course there are. But with all the healthcare cost increases we've seen in recent years, it's clear that current healthcare legislation isn't functioning very well. And I realize that America isn't a small, Scandinavian country where big changes can be readily adopted. However extending Medicare for all, even with the additional taxes that would be incurred, would remain a better and more affordable strategy for not only controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage for all citizens.

Need for Honest Assessment

We as Americans, we need to reduce 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 in this current situation could be that we undertake a hard look in the mirror and agree that major reforms are necessary.