I'm a Hardcore Free-Market Advocate, Yet Universal Medicare Represents the Best Hope for US Healthcare

Deductibles. In-network. Non-preferred providers. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Shared insurance. Benefit advisers. Coverage agents. Medical advisors. ACA. Health Maintenance Organization. PPO. EPO. Point of Service. HDHP. Health Savings Account. Flexible Spending Account. HRA. EOB. COBRA. Small Business Health Options Program. Single coverage. Family coverage. Insurance subsidies.

Baffled? You should be. Who understands all this stuff? Certainly not the average business owner. Neither the average employee. Selecting the appropriate medical coverage for our business – or for households – seems like demands advanced expertise in healthcare.

Our Healthcare System Isn't Just Complicated, It's Expensive

Based on a recent study, typical households spends $27,000 annually for their health insurance (up 6% from last year). Typical employer health insurance cost is expected to surpass $seventeen thousand for each worker by 2026, an increase of 9.5% from 2025.

Currently federal operations has ceased functioning because political disagreements regarding tax credits that experts say will lead to a doubling of premiums for numerous US citizens.

When Will We Truly Examine National Health Insurance?

How soon might we seriously consider universal healthcare coverage here in America? I have to believe we're getting closer since this situation is unsustainable.

I'm not suggesting government-run medicine. I'm proposing for our current Medicare system – an insurance system – merely extend to cover everyone. Our infrastructure doesn't change. How our healthcare providers receive payment would change. 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 earning average wages must contribute about five point three percent toward medical coverage. The company must contribute about 13.75%.

Does this appear like a lot? Unless you contrast that with what average US resident spends. I can name multiple clients that are easily contributing anywhere from 8% to 15% of their employee wages for medical benefits. Remember that in inclusive programs, those payments also cover pension plans, sick pay, parental benefits and unemployment benefits along with funding healthcare facilities. When you add these expenses compared with what we pay on retirement programs, unemployment insurance and vacation benefits, the difference decreases.

Execution in the US

In the US, universal healthcare funding would raise our Medicare tax deduction, a system that is already in place. It should be means-based – wealthier individuals would contribute higher amounts than those earning less. This includes both worker and company payments. Similar to much of federal defense, technology, welfare services and infrastructure, the program could be managed to third-party administrators rather than federal agencies.

Advantages for Small Businesses

Universal healthcare coverage represents a huge benefit for entrepreneurs like mine. It would place small companies in equal competition against big corporations who can afford better plans. It would make administration much easier (a payroll deduction processed similarly to retirement and healthcare taxes, instead of individual transactions to benefit firms and insurance providers).

It would enable it easier for us to budget annual expenditures, rather than enduring the complex (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 among workers – as opposed to the current system which require them to decipher the complexities of existing plans. Additionally there would certainly be less liability for companies since we wouldn't would be privy to workers' health histories for purposes of weighing risks and different options.

Capitalist Perspective

I'm as pro-market as they get. But I've learned that government play important functions in society, including national security to supporting needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare for everyone via universal healthcare enhances our economy's infrastructure. It represents superior, easier system for small businesses which hire the majority of the country's workers and generate half the economic output. It enables employees to be healthier, have better attendance and be more productive.

Considering Challenges

Are there numerous factors I'm not addressing? Certainly. 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 major reforms are easier to implement. But expanding Medicare for all, even with increased taxation required, would still be a superior and more affordable approach for not only controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage to everyone.

Time for Honest Assessment

We as Americans, we need to tone down national pride. Our healthcare system isn't so great. We rank significantly behind numerous nations with the best healthcare in the world, according to comprehensive research. Maybe one bright spot amid current situation is that we take serious examination at ourselves and acknowledge that major reforms need to happen.