🔗 Share this article As a Dedicated Free-Market Advocate, But Universal Medicare Is the Optimal Solution for US Health System Out-of-pocket costs. In-network. Out-of-network. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Co-insurance. Benefit advisers. Coverage agents. Healthcare consultants. ACA. Health Maintenance Organization. Preferred Provider Organization. Exclusive Provider Organization. POS. HDHP. Health Savings Account. FSA. HRA. Explanation of Benefits. COBRA. SHOP. Individual coverage. Dependent coverage. Premium tax credits. Baffled? It's understandable. Who comprehends this complex system? Certainly not the average entrepreneur. Nor the typical worker. Selecting the appropriate medical coverage for our business – or for our families – seems like demands a PhD in medical insurance. Our Medical System Is More Than Complex, It's Costly Based on recent research, the average family spends $twenty-seven thousand annually on medical coverage (increasing by 6% from last year). Typical company healthcare expense is projected to exceed $seventeen thousand for each worker by 2026, a 9.5% jump compared to 2025. Currently the government has ceased functioning due to partisan disputes regarding subsidies which analysts predict could cause premium increases up to 100% for numerous US citizens. When Will We Seriously Consider Universal Healthcare? When will we seriously consider a national health insurance program here in America? I have to believe we're getting closer because this can't continue. I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm advocating that our already existing Medicare system – an established insurance framework – simply expand to include all citizens. The existing system remains intact. The way medical professionals receive payment changes. Believe me, they will adjust. How Universal Coverage Would Work Universal healthcare coverage would require contributions from workers and companies. In similar programs, a worker earning moderate income pays about 5.3% to their healthcare. Their employer must contribute approximately 13.75%. Does this appear like a lot? Not if you compare it to what the typical US resident spends. I can name dozens of businesses that are easily contributing between eight to fifteen percent of their employee wages for medical benefits. Remember that with inclusive programs, these contributions also cover retirement benefits, sick pay, parental benefits and unemployment benefits in addition to funding medical services. When including those costs versus what we pay on retirement programs, unemployment insurance and paid time off, the difference decreases. Implementation in the US In the US, universal healthcare funding would raise existing Medicare taxes, 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 worker and employer contribution. And, like many our government's military, IT, welfare services and transportation services, the system should be outsourced to third-party administrators instead of federal agencies. Benefits for Entrepreneurs Universal healthcare coverage represents a significant advantage for entrepreneurs such as my company. It would place us on a level playing field against big corporations that can pay for better plans. It would render administration significantly simpler (automatic payroll withholding remitted like social security and healthcare taxes, instead of individual transactions to benefit firms and coverage administrators). It would enable simpler for us to budget annual expenditures, instead of going through the complicated (and ineffective) process of bargaining with the big insurance providers required annually every year. Because it's simplified, there would exist a better understanding about benefits by our employees – contrasted with existing arrangements where they have to decipher the complications of current options. Additionally there would certainly be reduced responsibility for employers since we wouldn't would be privy to our employees' health histories for purposes of risk assessment and alternative plans. Capitalist Perspective I'm as pro-market as possible. But I've learned that government play important functions in society, including national security to funding needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare to all via universal healthcare enhances our economy's infrastructure. It's a better, simpler approach for small businesses that employ more than half of the country's workers and fund half of our GDP. It enables for workers to be healthier, have better attendance and increase productivity. Addressing Concerns Are there a million considerations I'm not addressing? Certainly. But with rising medical expenses experienced in recent years, it's clear that current healthcare legislation is not working effectively. I understand that we're not a small, Scandinavian country where big changes can be readily adopted. But expanding universal Medicare, even with the additional taxes required, would still be a better and more affordable strategy both for controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage for all citizens. Need for Honest Assessment As Americans, we need to reduce national pride. America's medical care isn't so great. We rank significantly behind numerous nations in healthcare quality in the world, according to major studies. Perhaps a bright spot amid present circumstances is that we take a hard look in the mirror and acknowledge that major reforms need to happen.