Navigation Links
Harvard study reveals taxing job-based health benefits would hit working families hardest
Date:8/21/2009

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. As the debate over health care reform continues to unfold in town hall meetings and on Capitol Hill, a new study by two Harvard researchers has found that taxing job-based health benefits would heavily penalize insured, working families.

The study, titled "The regressivity of taxing employer-paid health insurance," appears in the August 19 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. It was written by Drs. David Himmelstein and Steffie Woolhandler, professors at Harvard Medical School and primary care doctors at Cambridge Hospital in Massachusetts.

The taxation of employer-sponsored health benefits has been advocated by many health economists and lawmakers, including some members of the influential Senate Finance Committee, which is now drafting health care reform legislation. President Obama has said he has not ruled out such a tax to fund his reforms.

Analyzing income and insurance data from the 2005 Current Population Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau and other sources, the authors reveal that taxing workers' job-based health insurance would cost those with low-incomes ($0- $10,000 annually) 18.3 percent of their income, but cost high-income (over $100,000) families a mere 2.7 percent. (See the table from the study at http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=1521 )

The authors note that the tax rate would drop even lower for the super-rich. "A Goldman Sachs executive who enjoyed the firm's infamous $40,543 health plan got a federal tax subsidy of about $15,367 last year," they write. "But that's only 0.13 percent of the bonuses received by the company's four top earners. So though taxing health benefits would spare the uninsured, the average poor family with employer-paid coverage would be taxed at a rate 140 times higher than Wall Street titans."

Dr. David U. Himmelstein, lead author of the study and associate professor of medicin
'/>"/>

Contact: Mark Almberg
mark@pnhp.org
312-782-6006
Physicians for a National Health Program
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related medicine news :

1. Harvard Health Letter Special Section Features the Body's Unsung Marvels: The Feet
2. Harvard Medical School Continues Education About Benefits of Probiotics
3. Harvard Medical School Releases Special Health Report on Swine Flu
4. Harvard Medical School Prostate Disease Website Guides Patients Through Decision-Making Process
5. Harvard Business School Publishes Case Study on Youth Villages in North Carolina
6. Harvard Business School Publishes Case Study on Youth Villages-Intercept in Texas
7. New Interview on E-Health Records with Dr. Ashish K. Jha of the Harvard School of Public Health on Talking Technology
8. Harvard Vanguard Cures Data Backup Ills With EMC Avamar
9. Tomato Products Wellness Council Joins Harvard Medical School and the Culinary Institute of America to Take Part in Healthy Kitchen, Healthy Lives April 2-5, 2009
10. Runaway Health Care Costs: 12 Ways You Can Rein Them in, from the Harvard Health Letter
11. Press Ganey and Harvards Forces of Change Announce 2nd Annual Collaboration
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/21/2013)... 21, 2013 Dr. James C. Wittig, ... of the Sarcoma Division of the John Theurer Cancer ... has been named one of the top 13 Orthopedic ... Dr. Wittig is one of approximately 125 surgeons ... was created by surveying thought leaders in the field ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Brunswick Laboratories, Inc. announces that AOAC ... standardization of validated analytical methods, has approved the ... the USDA, as a First Action Official MethodSM ... after extensive review by an AOAC expert review ... U.S. Department of Agriculture. , Jin Ji, PhD., ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... According to the Center for Disease Control and ... year. Over 800,000 of these bites require medical attention, ... should be aware of the danger that dog bites pose ... and children may sustain more serious injuries than an adult. ... the ages of 5 and 9 are at the greatest ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... 2013 USA Book News announced Monday ... Peak Performance" won the top honor in its 2013 ... over a multitude of international titles published from 2011-2013, ... acclaim from both mainstream and new age audiences looking ... and spiritually. , “The Infinity Zone” is ...
(Date:5/20/2013)... Southfield, Michigan (PRWEB) May 21, 2013 This ... National Dog Bite Prevention Week (May 19th-May 25th) is an ... dog bite attacks and by encouraging dog owners to properly ... a dog. , Michigan dog bite lawyers at ... animal attacks in cases throughout Michigan. The personal injury law ...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:James C. Wittig, MD, Selected as one of America's Top 13 Orthopaedic Oncologists 2Health News:James C. Wittig, MD, Selected as one of America's Top 13 Orthopaedic Oncologists 3Health News:AOAC International Approves ORAC as First Action Official Method 2Health News:Personal Injury Law Firm Announces New Informational Graphic Regarding Dog Bite Injuries 2Health News:Mystic Ink Publishing's "The Infinity Zone" Wins Top Honor - International Book Awards 2Health News:Mystic Ink Publishing's "The Infinity Zone" Wins Top Honor - International Book Awards 3Health News:Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. Dog Bite Lawyers in Michigan Discuss National Dog Bite Prevention Week 2
... Hospital is the only pediatric hospital in the ... The American Nurses,Credentialing Center (ANCC) has awarded DMC ... nursing. Recognized as one of the,highest distinctions a ... five,percent of all U.S. hospitals have achieved this ...
... April 17 The Connecticut,Hospice, Inc., the nation,s ... from its first class of The Norma F. ... by a,generous grant merited by the Connecticut Hospice,s ... for education and,training in hospice and palliative care. ...
... explain antidepressants, effectiveness , , THURSDAY, April 17 (HealthDay News) ... old brain cells to their more plastic youthful condition ... only provides a possible new explanation for the antidepressant ... prospect that it could be used to treat other ...
... drinkers and heavy,smokers develop Alzheimer,s disease years earlier ... smoke heavily, according to research that,will be presented ... Meeting in Chicago, April 12-19, 2008., "These ... we can,reduce or eliminate heavy smoking and drinking, ...
... N.Y., April 17 CTG (Nasdaq: CTGX ),an ... that it would release its 2008 first quarter,financial results ... company,will hold a conference call to discuss its financial ... 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. CTG,Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ...
... Calif., April 17 The National Center for,Autism ... for autism research, education and family support,services has ... are,flocking to NCARE resulting from the announcement to ... that families desperately need centralized,autism resources., Soonhee ...
Cached Medicine News:Health News:Children's Hospital of Michigan Awarded Prestigious Magnet Status 2Health News:The Norma F. Pfriem International Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing 2Health News:Prozac Makes Old Brain Cells Young 2Health News:Prozac Makes Old Brain Cells Young 3Health News:Alzheimer's Starts Earlier for Heavy Drinkers, Smokers 2Health News:CTG Announces 2008 First Quarter Conference Call and Webcast Information 2Health News:California's First Non-profit Center for Autism Research, Education and Family Services 2
(Date:5/20/2013)... May 20, 2013 Decision Resources, one ... for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that surveyed ... a greater effect on quality of life is ... the high level of subjectivity and variability of ... thought leaders state that it is difficult to ...
(Date:5/19/2013)... 2013 Claret Medical, Inc. announced the publication of ... et al., Histopathology of Embolic Debris Captured ... in Circulation, May 7 th this research is the ... Rotterdam, the Netherlands and the pathology team of ... Pathology Institute, Gaithersburg, Maryland.  This is the ...
(Date:5/19/2013)... Fla. , May 19, 2013  The ... and low temperature radiofrequency (RF) energy is effective ... eliminates or reduces the need for medication 10 ... assessment presented today at the Digestive Disease Week ... Orlando, Florida . "The ...
Breaking Medicine Technology:For Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Surveyed Pulmonologists Indicate That Improved Effect on Quality of Life is One of the Greatest Unmet Needs 2Claret Medical, Inc. Announces Publication of the First Clinical Research on the Frequency and Composition of Embolic Debris Captured during TAVR 2Stretta Procedure for GERD: Successful 10 Year Follow-Up Data Presented at Digestive Disease Week--Sustained Improvement, Long-Term Efficacy 2Stretta Procedure for GERD: Successful 10 Year Follow-Up Data Presented at Digestive Disease Week--Sustained Improvement, Long-Term Efficacy 3
... Increases in deaths from opioid drugs such as OxyContin may ... the news, according to a study from Children,s Hospital Boston and ... patterns of opioid deaths and patterns of news coverage between 1999 ... It found that spikes in media coverage often preceded an increase ...
... , , KIBBUTZ SHAMIR, Israel, Nov. 18 Shamir ... a leading provider of innovative products and technology to the ... third quarter ended September 30, 2009. , For the quarter ... $36.1 million for the third quarter of 2008. Gross ...
Cached Medicine Technology:Breaking the News, or Fueling the Epidemic? News Coverage of Opioid-Related Deaths Often Precede an Increase in Deaths, Study Finds 2Breaking the News, or Fueling the Epidemic? News Coverage of Opioid-Related Deaths Often Precede an Increase in Deaths, Study Finds 3Breaking the News, or Fueling the Epidemic? News Coverage of Opioid-Related Deaths Often Precede an Increase in Deaths, Study Finds 4Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 2Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 3Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 4Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 5Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 6Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 7Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 8Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 9Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. Reports Third Quarter 2009 Results 10
... Visionblue is a staining solution for ... required for performing a safe phaco-emulsification ... lens capsule may result in an ... risk of radial capsule tears and ...
Rhex-ID (Trypan Blue 0.8 mg)....
Unmatched versatility for hemostasis wherever needed. Can be applied to suit your needs....
Auto refractometer....
Medicine Products: