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Out-of-pocket costs. Preferred providers. Non-preferred providers. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Co-payment. Co-insurance. Insurance consultants. Coverage agents. Medical advisors. ACA. Health Maintenance Organization. PPO. EPO. Point of Service. HDHP. Health Savings Account. FSA. HRA. EOB. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. SHOP. Single coverage. Dependent coverage. Insurance subsidies.

Baffled? It's understandable. Who comprehends this complex system? Not the typical business owner. Neither the average worker. Selecting the appropriate medical coverage for companies – or for households – seems like demands a PhD in healthcare.

Our Medical System Isn't Just Complicated, It's Costly

Based on recent research, typical households spends $27,000 each year on medical coverage (increasing by 6% from last year). The average company healthcare expense is expected to surpass $seventeen thousand for each worker by 2026, a 9.5% jump compared to 2025.

Now federal operations is shut down because political disagreements over subsidies that experts say could cause premium increases up to 100% for millions of Americans.

When Might We Truly Examine National Health Insurance?

When will we genuinely evaluate a national health insurance program in the United States? I have to believe we're approaching that point since this can't continue.

I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm advocating for our current Medicare system – an established insurance framework – merely extend to include all citizens. Our infrastructure remains intact. How medical professionals get paid changes. Trust me, they'll adapt.

How Universal Coverage Would Work

A national health insurance program would require contributions from both employees and employers. In comparable systems, a worker earning moderate income pays about 5.3% toward medical coverage. The company pays approximately thirteen point seventy-five percent.

Does this seem expensive? Unless you compare that with what average American pays. I know dozens of businesses who are easily contributing between eight to fifteen percent of payroll costs to their healthcare costs. Remember that with inclusive programs, these contributions include pension plans, sick pay, parental benefits and job loss protection along with supporting medical services. When including these expenses versus our current spending on retirement programs, unemployment insurance and vacation benefits, the difference decreases.

Execution in the US

In the US, a national health premium would increase our Medicare tax deduction, a system that is already in place. It should be means-based – wealthier individuals would contribute higher amounts than lower-income earners. There would be both worker and company payments. Similar to much of our government's defense, technology, welfare services and infrastructure, the program should be outsourced to third-party administrators rather than a government office.

Benefits for Small Businesses

A national health insurance program represents a huge benefit for small businesses such as my company. It would place us on a level playing field with our larger competitors who can afford better plans. It would make administration significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to retirement and Medicare taxes, instead of separate payments to benefit firms and insurance providers).

It would enable simpler to plan expenses our yearly costs, rather than enduring the complex (and ineffective) theater of bargaining with the big insurance providers required annually every year. Due to simplification, there would be a better understanding of coverage by our employees – as opposed to existing arrangements which require them to decipher the complications of existing plans. And there would certainly be reduced responsibility for employers as we no longer have access to workers' health histories for weighing risks and different options.

Free-Market Viewpoint

I'm as pro-market as they get. However I recognize that public institutions play important functions in our lives, including national security to supporting essential systems. Ensuring medical coverage for everyone through a national insurance system strengthens economic foundations. It's a better, easier system for entrepreneurs 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 numerous factors I'm not addressing? Of course there are. Given all the healthcare cost increases we've seen in recent years, it's evident that the Affordable Care Act is not working effectively. And I realize that we're not a small, Scandinavian country where major reforms can be readily adopted. But expanding Medicare for all, even with increased taxation that would be incurred, would remain a better and more affordable approach both for managing medical expenses and ensuring coverage for all citizens.

Time for Realistic Evaluation

We as Americans, we need to tone down national pride. Our healthcare system isn't so great. The US places significantly behind many other countries with the best healthcare globally, according to major studies. Maybe one bright spot amid current situation could be that we undertake a hard look at ourselves and agree that major reforms need to happen.