🔗 Share this article As a Hardcore Free-Market Advocate, But Universal Medicare Is the Best Solution for American Health System Deductibles. In-network. Out-of-network. Concierge medical services. Out-of-pocket expenses. Co-payment. Shared insurance. Insurance consultants. Insurance brokers. Medical advisors. Affordable Care Act. Health Maintenance Organization. Preferred Provider Organization. Exclusive Provider Organization. Point of Service. HDHP. HSA. FSA. HRA. Explanation of Benefits. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. SHOP. Individual coverage. Family coverage. Insurance subsidies. Baffled? It's understandable. Who comprehends all this stuff? Not the typical business owner. Nor the typical worker. Selecting the appropriate medical coverage for companies – or for our families – seems like it requires advanced expertise in healthcare. The Healthcare System Isn't Just Complex, It Is Costly Based on a recent study, typical households pays $27,000 each year on medical coverage (increasing by 6% from last year). The average employer health insurance cost is projected to surpass $seventeen thousand for each worker by 2026, an increase of 9.5% from 2025. Currently federal operations is shut down due to partisan disputes over subsidies which analysts predict will lead to premium increases up to 100% for millions of Americans. When Will We Truly Examine Universal Healthcare? When will we genuinely evaluate a national health insurance program here in America? I have to believe we're approaching that point since this can't continue. I'm not proposing national healthcare. I'm proposing that our already existing Medicare program – an insurance system – simply expand to cover everyone. The existing system remains intact. How our healthcare providers get paid would change. Believe me, they'll adapt. The Way Universal Coverage Would Work Universal healthcare coverage would need payments from workers and companies. In similar programs, a worker making average wages pays about 5.3% toward medical coverage. The company pays approximately thirteen point seventy-five percent. Does this seem like a lot? Not if you compare it to what the typical US resident spends. I know multiple businesses who are routinely paying anywhere from eight to fifteen percent of payroll costs to their healthcare costs. Remember that in inclusive programs, these contributions include pension plans, illness coverage, maternity leave and unemployment benefits in addition to funding healthcare facilities. When you add those costs versus what we pay on retirement programs, unemployment insurance and paid time off, the difference decreases. Execution for America For America, a national health premium would increase our Medicare tax deduction, a framework already established. It ought to be means-based – those at higher income levels would contribute higher amounts than those earning less. There would be both an employee and company payments. And, like much of federal military, technology, welfare services and infrastructure, the program should be outsourced by private contractors rather than federal agencies. Benefits for Small Businesses A national health insurance program represents a huge benefit for small businesses such as my company. It would place small companies in equal competition against big corporations that can pay for superior coverage. It would render administration much easier (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to retirement and healthcare taxes, instead of individual transactions to insurance companies and insurance providers). It would make simpler to plan expenses our yearly costs, instead of going through the complicated (and ineffective) theater of bargaining with the big insurance providers that we must do every year. Due to simplification, there would be a better understanding of coverage among workers – contrasted with existing arrangements which require them to interpret the complications of existing plans. Additionally there would definitely exist less liability for companies since we wouldn't have access to workers' health histories for weighing risks and alternative plans. Free-Market Viewpoint I'm as capitalist as they get. However I recognize that government play important functions in our lives, including national security to supporting needed infrastructure. Ensuring medical coverage to all through a national insurance system enhances our economy's infrastructure. It's a better, simpler approach for small businesses that employ more than half of American employees and fund half the economic output. It enables employees to enjoy better health, come to work more often and be more productive. Considering Challenges Are there a million considerations I haven't covered? Of course there are. Given all the healthcare cost increases we've seen recently, it's evident that current healthcare legislation is not working very well. And I realize that America isn't a small, Scandinavian country where major reforms are easier to implement. However extending universal Medicare, despite the additional taxes that would be incurred, would still be a superior and more affordable approach for not only controlling healthcare costs and ensuring coverage for all citizens. Time for Realistic Evaluation As Americans, must tone down national pride. America's medical care isn't so great. We rank significantly behind many other countries in healthcare quality globally, according to major studies. Perhaps a bright spot amid present circumstances is that we take a hard look in the mirror and acknowledge that big changes are necessary.