1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to support universal health care in the United States. Beyond being a moral and public health issue, access to health care is also an economic issue. Our current system discourages entrepreneurship, limits innovation, and keeps too many talented people tied to jobs primarily because they cannot risk losing health insurance. Many Americans have ideas for new businesses, products, services, and technologies, but starting a company often means leaving behind employer-sponsored health coverage. For people with families, chronic conditions, prescriptions, or even just normal medical needs, that risk can be too great. As a result, people stay in jobs they may have outgrown instead of building something new. That hurts the country. Innovation does not only come from large corporations. It often comes from individuals willing to take risks: the engineer who wants to build a better tool, the nurse who sees a better way to deliver care, the teacher who wants to create a new platform, the small business owner who wants to hire locally, or the worker with a side project that could become a company. When health insurance is tied so tightly to employment, we make those risks far harder than they need to be. Universal health care would not eliminate the risks of entrepreneurship, but it would remove one of the most personal and frightening ones: the fear that pursuing a new idea could leave someone or their family without medical care. That freedom would make it easier for people to start businesses, change jobs, freelance, invent, and compete. It would also help small businesses. Large companies can often offer stronger health benefits because they have more bargaining power and administrative capacity. Small businesses and startups are at a disadvantage when trying to recruit talent. A universal system would create a fairer playing field, allowing people to choose work based on mission, opportunity, and innovation rather than simply on who can provide the safest benefits package. America celebrates risk-taking, competition, and entrepreneurship. But our health care system often punishes people for taking those risks. If we want a more dynamic economy, we should make it easier for people to build, create, and hire without the constant fear that one illness or accident could financially devastate them. I ask you to support policies that move the United States toward universal health care, reduce dependence on employer-sponsored insurance, and give Americans the freedom to innovate. Thank you for your time and your service.