Levin: Republicans Are Coming After Your Employer-Based Health Insurance

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In responding to the release of a House GOP white paper on health care, as well as recent comments from leading Republicans on their plans, Representative Sander Levin (D-MI), the Ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, today said:

"The 177 million Americans with employer-based health insurance are now at severe risk. Republicans are pursuing three policies that when taken together threaten to significantly unravel the health insurance now received by working Americans.

"First, Republicans are considering capping the current exclusion for taxing employer-sponsored health benefits. Not only will this raise taxes on Americans, it will reduce the present incentive for employers to continue to provide health insurance to their workers. Second, the GOP wants to eliminate the employer mandate, which requires larger businesses to provide health insurance. Once again, this will entice employers to drop coverage. And third, the recent Republican white paper proposes a scaled-back tax credit for health insurance that is available regardless of income but only for individuals without employer-sponsored health insurance. This could lead to employers ending their health plans with the suggestion that their workers instead take these new credits, even if they are nowhere close to replacing the value of their former employer plan. The combination of these policies is a very dangerous mix for Americans depending on employer-sponsor health insurance.

"Just follow the money - Republicans are raising taxes on working families to provide a tax cut for the wealthy, and in the process they are threatening the health insurance of millions of Americans. One analysis shows repealing the revenue provisions in the Affordable Care Act would provide about a $50,000 tax cut to millionaires. To make up for that lost revenue, Republicans want to raise taxes on the health insurance received by working Americans."

Read this original document at: http://levin.house.gov/press-release/levin-republicans-are-coming-after-your-employer-based-health-insurance