Posted: Oct 14, 2005 By: Gail Newman

Subject: Taxing employee health benefits

Comment: Let me understand this. You want to give employers a tax break if they offer health coverage, and tax the recipients of the coverage, while imposing a premium tax on the insurer?? And this will reduce the number of uninsured and underinsured while simplifying the tax code in what ways?
As an American citizen I am incensed that this is even a consideration. It calls for a recall/impeachment of the entire Congress!! Shame upon you all.

Nowhere in the US Constitution does it say that we have a right to health care, nor does it say that the government is responsible for PROVIDING health, wealth and pursuit of happiness. At best it is responsible for protecting the right to such pursuit.

The simple answer is to make health insurance a personal responsibility like car insurance. If the government must get involved it should only be to the extent of setting the base community rate that insurance companies can charge--if EVERYONE (including congressional members)is in the same pool, the rates will be lower and insurance risk will be spread across a large number of people. If you wanted to get really creative, you could include the Medicare population. Medicare is a concept that while well intentioned has become so abused by all parties involved, including congress, that it is no longer viable. But that is a topic for another day. But sop and think of the taxes that wouldn't be needed--it is quite a sizeable portion of the congessional budget.

Why is it that no one in government has proposed such a plan? You may be quite surprised at the voter response to lesser government and consequent lower tax burden.