Bush assailed for health care plan by Mitch E. Perry
01/24/07WMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday | Listen to this entire show:
Last night during his state of the Union, President Bush proposed capping tax fee benefits for health care, along with providing a standard deduction for all who buy health insurance. The Administration says it could help 3 to 5 million of the nearly 47 million now uninsured people buy coverage. (roll tape#1 o.q.”within their reach”)
The details are like this. Health insurance offered thru jobs would become taxable income. But insured workers taxable income would be reduced by a deduction of $15,000 for a family plan or $7,500 for an individual. According to the Kaiser family Foundation, the average family health plan offered by employers costs $11,500 for families and $4,300 for singles.
Roger Hickey is the co-director of the group Campaign for America’s Future. He’s considered an expert on health care and retirement security issues and was a founder of the Economic Policy Institute and Americans United..WMNF asked him for his 1st impression of the President’s Health care plan. (roll tape#2 o.q.”a really good way to go”) That’s Roger Hickey, co-director from the group Campaign For America’s Future.