A healthcare proposal that makes sense for everyone

Medisense is a policy proposal for a public option designed from the bottom-up to fix our broken health insurance system

How does it work?

Click each stakeholder then click a button for each arrow

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Member
Enrolled individuals & families
🏥
Provider
Doctors, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies
⚕️
Medisense
State public option
🏛️
State & Employers
Additional funding, employer offering
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Select a node to begin
Click any node to see how it connects to the rest of the system. Then click a flow button to highlight that relationship.

How Medisense Works

Select a stakeholder to learn more

1

Enroll in Medisense

Anyone can opt-in to the public option and pay income-based premiums for comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and drug coverage. Members can choose to remain with Medisense across employers or employment status.

2

Choose voucher tier

Medisense issues members a vouchers, tied to the distribution of reported prices for the procedure, where the exact percentile depends on the member's chosen voucher tier. Vouchers replace copays, deductibles, and coinsurance entirely.

3

Search for care

Members use the Medisense app to access accurate pricing and quality information at their fingertips. Members can go to any provider and are protected from surprise bills. Simply present the digital voucher and receive care.

4

Earn HSA credits by finding cost-effective care

If a provider charges above the voucher value, the member pays the difference out-of-pocket. If a provider charges below the voucher value, the member earns a portion of the savings into their HSA account.

Example — Sarah's MRI

Voucher value: $600

Imaging center price$450
Out-of-pocket cost$0
HSA credit earned+$75
Surprise billsNone
50% of the $150 saving below voucher value is deposited into Sarah's HSA.
1

Regain autonomy

Report your prices for each procedure annually. There are no rate negotiations or network designations. Medisense monitors for anti-competitive pricing and may set ceilings in low-competition markets.

2

Compete on quality

Medisense members actively shop based on price and quality ratings. Lower administrative overhead and an even playing field means small providers can compete head-to-head with large hospital systems.

3

Get paid directly and reliably

Members present their digital voucher and Medisense handles payment. Payment is streamlined and predictable.

1

Price Transparency Mandate

Medisense mandates price transparency, eliminates network designations, and regulates prices in noncompetitive areas for its members. Medisense maintains a price and quality database and makes the information accessible to members.

2

Focus on long-term coverage

Private employers are incentivized or required to offer Medisense alongside other plans and to subsidize premiums at the same rate. Members can choose to stay with Medisense for long-term coverage.

3

Re-route existing funding

Medisense is self-sufficient with collected premiums, but requires additional funds for income-based subsidies. Existing Medicaid funds and health program funds can be redirected to support Medisense subsidies.

4

Adjust levers to match political context

Voucher tiers, subsidy scales, and price ceilings are all tunable. Medisense is designed to be adaptable to different political and economic environments.

NY State Illustration
Available Funding
$67B
Medicaid re-routing + fragmented programs
Coverage Potential
8.8M people
~45% of NY State population
Additional Taxes Needed
$0
Using existing state funds only
1

Unlock competition

Price transparency and voucher-based payment empowers members to shop around. Independent providers can compete with large hospitals on price and quality, lowering overall healthcare costs.

2

More economic dynamism

When coverage is de-linked from employment, workers can freely change jobs, launch startups, and take risks without fear of losing healthcare.

3

Better long-term health outcomes

Long-term membership gives Medisense a financial incentive to invest in preventative care — because a healthier population means lower costs over time.

4

Lower burden of uncontrolled illness

Continuous coverage reduces gaps in treatment for mental health, addiction, and chronic illness — lowering downstream costs tied to emergency care and homelessness.

Key Benefits

Competition

Protection

Affordability

Simplicity