Aventacor reached out to GSBA to platform their call for universal health care. Universal health care takes the onus from businesses to provide health care for their employees, freeing up funds that could be used instead to increase wages or further investments into the business. At the same time, it creates a healthier, happier workforce. GSBA supports this proposition because, at the end of the day, it’s good for business, and the health of our community. This piece, written from a business owner perspective, outlines the impacts universal health care can have on small businesses. 

We Can’t Afford to Ignore Universal Healthcare Any Longer

by Ethan Grant, Founder & CEO of Aventacor Tech Support

In 2025, employer healthcare costs rose 6% and this year we’re likely to see another 7-10%. Meanwhile, economic forecasts predict razor-thin margins, recession risks, and increased pressure on every line item in your budget. The question isn’t whether to address healthcare costs, it’s how much money you’re going lose every year without fundamental changes.

I’m not talking about incremental reforms or marginal improvements to existing benefits programs. I’m talking about universal healthcare in Washington State, and the radical competitive advantage it would hand to every company operating here.

The Real Cost of Status Quo

You already know the healthcare line item is unsustainable. Every dollar spent navigating insurance complexity, managing benefits administration, and absorbing annual premium increases is a dollar unavailable for revenue-generating activities. In a tightening economy, predictability is a premium, yet healthcare costs remain among the least predictable major expense categories on your P&L. You’re essentially carrying an open-ended liability that can spike 10% in a single year, with virtually no leverage to negotiate or control costs.

In the next decade, you’ll need top performers who can do more with less, but your compensation flexibility is limited. Healthcare benefits are the most expensive and least-efficient differentiator available. Here’s the strategic opportunity many Seattle executives haven’t fully grasped: with universal healthcare, Washington gains an instant competitive advantage over California, Texas, and every other state vying for business expansion and relocation.

Level the Playing Field

Universal healthcare simplifies your talent proposition to equity, culture, development, and compensation. Your effective labor costs drop significantly, your talent pipeline improves, and your lean, innovative venture gets to compete with legacy players. Additionally, universal healthcare reduces the economic friction that constrains business formation and risk-taking. As more entrepreneurs launch ventures, your potential partner ecosystem expands, and your acquisition targets multiply.

When healthcare coverage isn’t tied to employment, workers feel more freedom to transition between jobs, and spend more freely. When your customer base has disposable income and confidence, it creates a more dynamic, responsive economy that benefits everyone.

Leadership Opportunity

Economic downturns reward bold strategic moves. While others are cutting costs incrementally and hoping to survive, Washington’s business community has the opportunity to fundamentally restructure a major cost center while improving competitive positioning.

This requires vision and leadership from Seattle’s executives. The companies which recognize this opportunity and push for universal healthcare will be the best positioned when economic conditions improve. That’s not just good policy, it’s essential strategy.

Data Sources: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/benefits-compensation/health-care-cost-anxiety-hits-record-levels