I'm a Committed Free-Market Advocate, Yet Medicare for All Is the Best Solution for American Healthcare

Deductibles. Preferred providers. Out-of-network. Concierge medical services. Personal healthcare costs. Fixed payment. Shared insurance. Benefit advisers. Insurance brokers. Healthcare consultants. ACA. Health Maintenance Organization. Preferred Provider Organization. EPO. POS. High Deductible Health Plan. Health Savings Account. Flexible Spending Account. HRA. Explanation of Benefits. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Small Business Health Options Program. Individual coverage. Dependent coverage. Premium tax credits.

Baffled? It's understandable. Who understands all this stuff? Certainly not the average entrepreneur. Nor the typical employee. Choosing the right healthcare insurance for companies – or for our families – appears to require it requires advanced expertise in healthcare.

Our Medical System Is More Than Complicated, It's Costly

Based on a recent study, the average family spends $twenty-seven thousand each year for their health insurance (up 6% compared to last year). Typical employer health insurance cost is expected to exceed $17,000 per employee in 2026, a 9.5% jump compared to 2025.

Now the government is shut down because partisan disputes regarding tax credits which analysts predict could cause a doubling of premiums for numerous US citizens.

When Will We Truly Examine National Health Insurance?

How soon might we genuinely evaluate a national health insurance program here in America? I'm convinced we're getting closer because this can't continue.

I'm not proposing government-run medicine. I'm proposing for our current Medicare system – an insurance system – simply expand to cover everyone. The existing system doesn't change. The way our healthcare providers get paid changes. Trust me, they'll adapt.

The Way Universal Coverage Could Function

A national health insurance program would require payments from workers and companies. In comparable systems, a worker making moderate income pays about five point three percent to their healthcare. Their employer pays approximately thirteen point seventy-five percent.

Does this seem expensive? Not if you contrast it to what the typical American pays. I know dozens of businesses that are easily contributing anywhere from eight to fifteen percent of their employee wages for medical benefits. And keep in mind that with inclusive programs, those payments also cover pension plans, illness coverage, maternity leave and unemployment benefits along with funding healthcare facilities. When including those costs compared with what we pay for our retirement plans, job loss coverage and paid time off, the gap narrows.

Execution for America

In the US, a national health premium would increase existing Medicare taxes, a system that is already in place. It ought to be means-based – wealthier individuals would pay more than lower-income earners. There would be both worker and employer contribution. Similar to much of our government's defense, IT, social programs and transportation services, the program could be managed by private contractors rather than a government office.

Benefits for Entrepreneurs

Universal healthcare coverage represents a huge benefit for entrepreneurs like mine. It would put small companies in equal competition against big corporations that can pay for better plans. It would render management much easier (automatic payroll withholding processed similarly to social security and Medicare taxes, rather than individual transactions to benefit firms and insurance providers).

It would make it easier for us to budget our yearly costs, rather than enduring the complicated (and fruitless) theater of negotiating with major insurers that we must do each year. Due to simplification, there would exist a better understanding of coverage 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 companies since we wouldn't have access to our employees' health histories for purposes of risk assessment and different options.

Capitalist Perspective

I'm as pro-market as possible. However I recognize that government has a significant role in society, including national security to supporting needed infrastructure. Providing healthcare for everyone via universal healthcare enhances our economy's infrastructure. It's a better, easier system for entrepreneurs that employ more than half of American employees and generate half the economic output. It makes it possible for workers to enjoy better health, come to work more often and be more productive.

Addressing Concerns

Exist a million considerations I haven't covered? Certainly. But with 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 we're not a compact European nation where big changes are easier to implement. However extending universal Medicare, even with increased taxation required, would remain a better and less expensive strategy for not only managing medical expenses but providing access to everyone.

Need for Realistic Evaluation

We as Americans, must tone down our own arrogance. America's medical care isn't exceptional. The US places significantly behind many other countries in healthcare quality globally, based on comprehensive research. Maybe one positive aspect in this present circumstances could be that we undertake a hard look at ourselves and agree that big changes are necessary.