Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) applauds the House of Representatives for passing the Omnibus Appropriations bill that contains provisions that would delay the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health plans and the health insurance tax (HIT) levied on all private health insurance. The budget package will delay the implementation of the Cadillac tax for two years and creates a one-year delay on the HIT.
“A delay of these taxes is a step in the right direction,” stated NAHU CEO Janet Trautwein. “If implemented, the Cadillac tax and HIT will push healthcare costs even higher and hurt middle-class workers. It’s the cost of medical care that drives health insurance premiums and these taxes do very little to rein in healthcare costs.
“Both of these ACA healthcare taxes have very little upside. The Cadillac tax doesn’t actually identify plans with ‘Cadillac’-type benefits and it’s structured in such a way that many employers, from the smallest employer to the largest corporation, may have to reconsider their ability to offer coverage to employees at all. Those that do continue to offer coverage will be forced to drastically reduce benefits. Similarly, the HIT’s $8 billion fee on health insurance carriers drives up the cost of coverage for millions of Americans. This levy will get passed on to employers – and, consequently, their workers. These actions hurt the very middle-class families the ACA was designed to protect.
“For many small firms, insurance is more expensive than ever. Repealing the Cadillac tax and HIT will make health insurance more affordable and encourage more employers to retain health coverage for their workers. With the new year upon us, members of Congress and the Obama Administration need to turn their attention to the small-business market. Small firms need relief from skyrocketing health costs. Delaying and hopefully repealing these inequitable healthcare taxes will give employers some much-needed financial relief.”
The National Association of Health Underwriters represents 100,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who provide insurance for millions of Americans. NAHU is headquartered in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nahu.org.
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