As a private citizen, a longtime health care information technology project manager and someone who has spent years helping project teams, I know how unpredictable and expensive health care is for families across Northeast Florida.
People want stability. They want affordability and a system that doesn’t punish them for changing jobs, starting a business or caring for their families. I believe we can build that system: one that is modern, privacy-first and achievable at roughly a fraction of the cost of “Medicare for All.”
Many of the countries we watched during the World Cup guarantee health care for their residents, whether through national systems, social insurance or regulated private insurance. What they share is simple: Universal coverage
is normal.
Among these systems, Switzerland’s stands out as one Americans could realistically adopt. It delivers excellent outcomes — long life expectancy, low maternal mortality and short waiting times, at significantly lower cost than ours.
America can build a health care system around these seven pillars:
Coverage that belongs to you
In Switzerland, insurance belongs to the individual, not the employer. Coverage follows you through job changes, early retirement or entrepreneurship. An American adaptation would finally end job-locked health care and open the door to more mobility and innovation.
Predictable, sustainable funding
Instead of employers sponsoring plans, they contribute to a national subsidy pool through a payroll-based mechanism. They can still offer optional premium credits as a benefit, but coverage becomes portable and predictable for everyone involved. As a project manager, I see this as a straightforward structural shift, one that reduces administrative complexity and stabilizes costs.
Smart, safe incentives
Small premium reductions for blood donation, CPR training, preventive care or chronic care management encourage healthier communities and lower long-term costs. Optional research incentives, like clinical trial participation or anonymized genomic data sharing, can accelerate medical breakthroughs while remaining voluntary and privacy‑protected.
Preventive care with privacy first
Americans won’t share health data unless privacy is guaranteed. A simple principle solves this: Share your data, not your identity. Anonymized health signals can help detect early risks while keeping personal information secure, and participants can earn premium reductions for preventive engagement. Most of this can be achieved with smart watches we already wear.
Not-for‑profit basic insurance
Switzerland requires insurers to offer basic coverage on a not-for-profit basis: the backbone of affordability in a private universal system. A U.S. version should do the same.
Price caps that work
Every peer nation uses price caps on hospital procedures, specialist fees, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Transparent ceilings and annual reviews keep costs under control without sacrificing quality.
Precision health care, an American strength
The U.S. already leads in genomics, biotech, AI diagnostics and personalized medicine. A universal system that integrates anonymized data, early detection and preventive analytics could make us a global leader in precision health care.
A practical path forward
As someone who has spent a career delivering complex projects on time and within budget, I believe this model is achievable. It doesn’t require dismantling existing systems or adopting a single payer structure. It simply requires building a modern, regulated, portable insurance framework that protects families and strengthens our economy.
Universal coverage shouldn’t be seen as a ceiling; it’s a launchpad. A healthier nation is a stronger nation. With a practical, affordable model inspired by Switzerland but tailored for America, we can build a health care system that finally works for everyone.
Mark Heggestad is a Democratic congressional candidate and is running in District 5. You can read the entire proposal atHeggestadforCongress.com/key-issues.
This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: US might look to Swiss for affordable universal health care | Opinion
