Health Care Experts Offer Other Options For Health Care Reform

By Aaron Richardson-Talk Radio News Service

Michael Tanner, CATO’s Head of Health Care and Social Security Research is unhappy with the most recent draft of the bill that will eventually pave the way for health care reform in the U.S.

During a discussion today on Capitol Hill, Tanner voiced his opposition to many of the bills provisions such as: tax on employer provided insurance, a payroll tax hike, a income tax surcharge on people who make 250,000 dollars or more and the proposed soda and beer tax.

According to Tanner, those with less income will be specifically harmed by the beer and soda tax since those in that demographic tend to purchase these products with more frequency.

CATO’s Director for Health Policy Michael Cannon, who appeared alongside Tanner, suggested letting employees choose their insurance providers instead of employers. Cannon noted that this would result in higher salaries for workers.

“The $620 billion in employer premium contributions does not come out of the employers’ pockets, it is actually from workers’ wages,” said Cannon.

“If the employers weren’t providing health benefits to those workers the employers would have to return that $4,000 or $9,000 dollars back to those workers and add it to their salaries” added Cannon.