For the weeks during the government shutdown in late October through November 2025 we kept hearing that there was going to be a health insurance rate crisis as the Covid era direct subsidies to the insurance companies were going to expire.  The result of this was everyone’s insurance bill was going to go through the roof and people were going to opt out and pay the IRS Tax for not having an insurance plan for coverage.   

 

Interestingly I have been researching the subject. To my amazement I have been inundated with advertisements in email and Facebook ads for selling health insurance.  Also, for years I have heard ads on the radio for the Christian Care option by Medishare. I have also heard ads on podcasts for other health insurance products.  All of these have to fall in compliance with various ACA rules.

 

The current health care funding system where employers supplied health care payments to their workers started as away to get around a government mandated pay rate freeze during World War II.  In lieu of using salary to lure workers during a short supply situation health care bills were paid by employers. This morphed to the system we have today where most people think that someone else should pay medical bills.

 

This has driven prices up using a system where the consumer does not expect to pay for services.  Don W. Larson stated in his 1993 book Medical Cost Crisis, A Common-Sense Solution that people will use  medical services that can be avoided by waiting out certain maladies.  The common cold in many situations is just a matter of waiting seven to ten days.  There are other situations that currently cause visits that need not happen.

 

Granted that medical opinion has changed since 1993, but we find more and more abuse of the system as there is more government involvement in the delivery of health care.  While the current system while good in many ways there are many structural items that need to be fixed. They are proper pricing for care, access to care, and the elimination of financial disaster in many medical events.  

 

Which brings us to a few points of this article.  

 

Point 1, There needs to be a real definition of cost and pricing for medical services.

Point 2, rules for access must be defined.

Point 3, a real way to create a system of payments that will not bankrupt people.

We will be covering each of these items.  

If you would like to participate in helping, please submit the form.