A new poll finds that voters and business leaders strongly want Congress to repeal a pending 40 percent tax on so-called corporate-funded “Cadillac” health insurance plans, but the current House leadership “chaos” is stalling action, according to industry officials.
During a conference call with representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Business Roundtable, the leadership morass was cited as a reason for inaction on Obamacare changes and dozens of other issues key to industry.
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“Everybody could probably give you a litany of 50 bills and why aren’t they being brought to the floor. You can read the newspaper and see what chaos the House is in right now. But we’re going to continue to work this and build support,” said Randy Johnson, the Chamber’s senior vice president for Labor, Immigration and Employee Benefits.
Johnson noted bipartisan support for the tax repeal bills, and added that there is enough time for action because it doesn’t go into effect until 2018.
“Things can be done and it takes time and we’re in here for the long haul although the short haul would be better if we could get it done, but we’ve got another year to go in this Congress, people lose track of that sometimes,” said Johnson.
“We’re going to continue to work this and when an opening occurs were going to be ready to move through it,” he added.
Polling released by the nation’s top three business groups revealed that Americans, by a margin of nearly two to one, believe health care has become more expensive since Obamacare passed, and that 52 percent believe the Cadillac tax will hurt health care.
The tax is set to be put on expensive health insurance offered to employees by by corporations. According to insurance company CIGNA, the thresholds for high-cost plans are currently $10,200 for individual coverage, and $27,500 for family coverage.
As a result, the business groups said that many thousands of firms are considering ending the expensive coverage to avoid the tax. While it won’t be implemented for over two years, budgeting and planning by HR departments for 2018 has already begun.
The poll is provided below.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
