Government
Senate takes aim at employer health benefits
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 19, 2004
The Senate's Joint Economic Committee recently released a report that faults the current tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health care for contributing to the rapid rise in health care spending.
"Comprehensive group health insurance coverage hides the true cost of health care decisions and fosters the illusion that someone else is paying for the care," said committee Chair Robert F. Bennett (R, Utah).
The tax exclusion also creates a one-size-fits-all approach to coverage and takes control of the purchase of health coverage away from patients, according to the report. Polls and recent labor strikes, however, suggest that employer-sponsored health insurance remains very popular among American workers.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/01/19/gvbf0119.htm.
