U.S. Health Care System's Economics Are Broken, Says Ascendiun CEO

Paul Markovich, president and CEO of Ascendiun, argues that the economics of the United States health care system are fundamentally broken.

He recounts meeting a healthy, active man in his early 60s who runs a small business and now faces a monthly premium of nearly $5,000, forcing him to drop coverage for his wife and children while he waits for Medicare.

Markovich notes that more than 27 million Americans were uninsured in 2024 and millions more have coverage they cannot afford because of high deductibles, with the average employer‑sponsored family premium approaching $27,000 a year.

He warns that simply increasing federal subsidies is not a sustainable fix, as the federal debt has surpassed $40 trillion and roughly 70% of non‑interest federal spending is already devoted to health care and income support.