‘An everybody issue’: Roundtable in Utica discusses health insurance tax
The bill is backed by a group of local business owners and government officials from four counties who gathered Wednesday for a roundtable discussion of the issue with Brindisi, D-
If it goes into effect, the tax would hit people who buy their own health insurance, small businesses and seniors in Medicare Advantage plans the hardest, Brindisi said. But the pain won't stop there, he said.
"The worry is that everyone around the table is going to feel the impact," he said.
The tax, created by the Affordable Care Act, grows larger each year, but was put on moratorium in 2017 and again this year. It is paid by health plans, but is expected to be added to the price of premiums.
Brindisi introduced the bipartisan Jobs and Premium Protection Act in the
"It isn't a left or right issue. It's an everybody issue," said
All costs keep going up for
"We'd like to get back on track and start hiring again," he said.
AX Enterprize, a defense contractor in
"Every little bit that we can reinvent in benefits or perk is helpful," she said.
"We have the best real estate market we've ever had. ... Anything like this could only hamper that growth," he said.
The ACA did some good work, establishing things like protections for pre-existing conditions and a list of essential benefits that have to be covered, Brindisi said. But some fixes are needed to keep costs down, including the elimination of HIT, he said.
"I don't think anyone should have to worry about going out of business because they can't afford their health insurance," Brindisi said.
"This (tax) is going to hit
Salka, a respiratory therapist by training, also warned that anything that affects health care costs "screws things up" in health care. For example, if people lose coverage because of the higher cost, they'll end up in emergency rooms, getting more expensive care for which the hospitals will likely end up paying, he said.
The Affordable Care Act, on paper, shouldn't have cost
These things always have ripple effects that end up hitting everyone, he said.
"Any insurance increase, down the line, gets to everybody," Picente said.
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