Stop Tax Breaks for Health Insurance Companies Selling High Deductible Health Plans in Georgia
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Author:
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Send To:
Georgia General Assembly, Georgia Lieutenant Governor and Senate President Casey Cagle, and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue
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Sponsored By:
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We, the undersigned residents of the State of Georgia, respectfully submit the following Petition:
Whereas, there is presently before the Georgia Legislature HB 977, which creates tax breaks for health insurance companies selling high deductible health plans.
Whereas, high deductible health plans limit access to, and discourage the use of, preventive care, primary care, prescription drugs, and other valuable medical services.
Whereas, high deductible health plans generally require more out-of-pocket spending by the consumer.
Whereas, the bulk of tax savings under HB 977 flow directly to health insurance companies selling high deductible health plans ($146 million, or 67\%), while individual consumers would receive an estimated $6.7 million (3\%) of the tax savings.
Whereas, HB 977 creates tax incentives for employers to move away from offering employees comprehensive health coverage, creating further erosion in the employer-provided health insurance market which affords coverage to millions of Georgians.
Whereas, Georgia is home to more than 1.6 million uninsured individuals. Most uninsured people in Georgia are working, but their employers do not offer coverage and they cannot afford it on their own.
Whereas, HB 977 is of great benefit to insurance companies, but will do little to benefit working Georgians or to decrease the number of uninsured in Georgia.
Whereas, the individual and employer tax incentives in HB977 would not provide adequate financial assistance to the vast majority of uninsured Georgians who have low incomes and need more significant subsidies to afford coverage.
Whereas, directing $40.6 million to the PeachCare program for Georgia children could yield $126.6 million in federal funds and could cover nearly 100,000 uninsured children.
Whereas, a $40 million investment in PeachCare is a much more efficient use of healthcare dollars, allowing Georgia to cover tens of thousands of uninsured Georgia children.
Whereas, it is in the interest of all Georgia residents to defeat unwarranted tax giveaways to health insurance companies, particularly in tight budgetary times.
We, the Undersigned, urge our elected representatives to defeat HB 977, so as to restore the faith of individual Georgians that the Legislature will put the interests of its citizens before the financial gains of insurance companies.
Whereas, there is presently before the Georgia Legislature HB 977, which creates tax breaks for health insurance companies selling high deductible health plans.
Whereas, high deductible health plans limit access to, and discourage the use of, preventive care, primary care, prescription drugs, and other valuable medical services.
Whereas, high deductible health plans generally require more out-of-pocket spending by the consumer.
Whereas, the bulk of tax savings under HB 977 flow directly to health insurance companies selling high deductible health plans ($146 million, or 67\%), while individual consumers would receive an estimated $6.7 million (3\%) of the tax savings.
Whereas, HB 977 creates tax incentives for employers to move away from offering employees comprehensive health coverage, creating further erosion in the employer-provided health insurance market which affords coverage to millions of Georgians.
Whereas, Georgia is home to more than 1.6 million uninsured individuals. Most uninsured people in Georgia are working, but their employers do not offer coverage and they cannot afford it on their own.
Whereas, HB 977 is of great benefit to insurance companies, but will do little to benefit working Georgians or to decrease the number of uninsured in Georgia.
Whereas, the individual and employer tax incentives in HB977 would not provide adequate financial assistance to the vast majority of uninsured Georgians who have low incomes and need more significant subsidies to afford coverage.
Whereas, directing $40.6 million to the PeachCare program for Georgia children could yield $126.6 million in federal funds and could cover nearly 100,000 uninsured children.
Whereas, a $40 million investment in PeachCare is a much more efficient use of healthcare dollars, allowing Georgia to cover tens of thousands of uninsured Georgia children.
Whereas, it is in the interest of all Georgia residents to defeat unwarranted tax giveaways to health insurance companies, particularly in tight budgetary times.
We, the Undersigned, urge our elected representatives to defeat HB 977, so as to restore the faith of individual Georgians that the Legislature will put the interests of its citizens before the financial gains of insurance companies.
94 Signatures
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Kathie McClure
- Zip Code
- 30309
- Comments
- Our legislators should be focused on improving access to healthcare for all Georgians, rather than creating tax giveaways for health insurance companies.
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Jay McClure
- Zip Code
- 30309
- Comments
- wHAT AN INCREDIBLE WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY!
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Bob Altman
- Zip Code
- 30306
- Comments
- В
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John Jacobs
- Zip Code
- 30341
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Denise Bailey
- Zip Code
- 30030
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Lynn Thogersen
- Zip Code
- 30030
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Daniel Blumenthal
- Zip Code
- 30307
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Helen H. Altman
- Zip Code
- 30319
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Emily Schmidt
- Zip Code
- 30307
- Comments
- I have MS and no high deductible plan on HSA will write over my condition. I am appalled that health insurance companies will get a break on writing high deductible health care plans when they do not care about people with chronic health conditions and will not provide coverage.
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Mary Lynn Hemphill
- Zip Code
- 30312
- Comments
- I am completely opposed to my tax money being used to subsidize insurance companies. This is absolutely ludicrious.
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Ginna McFarling
- Zip Code
- 30309
- Comments
- I'm much more in favor of available healthcare for all people rather than padding the income of insurance companies. Someone needs to be a little more responsible in the spending of our tax dollars.
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Eddy Fons
- Zip Code
- 30312
- Comments
- В
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Henry Kahn, MD
- Zip Code
- 30306
- Comments
- As a primary-care physician, I think that high-deductible insurance plans are a big step BACKWARDS. The result will be that the most vulnerable citizens will lose their easy access to preventive medical care.
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Kim D Reimann
- Zip Code
- 30307
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Barbara Joye
- Zip Code
- 30307
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Lewis and Mary Sinclair
- Zip Code
- 30316
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Charlotte G. Montague
- Zip Code
- 30306
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Susan E Stone
- Zip Code
- 30354
- Comments
- We need affordable health care for all NOW
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Bob Goodman
- Zip Code
- 30032
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Susan Somach
- Zip Code
- 30306
- Comments
- В
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mike hearington
- Zip Code
- 30329
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milton tambor
- Zip Code
- 30338
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Charles Pierce
- Zip Code
- 30168
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Moushumi Kabir
- Zip Code
- 30358
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Nicole M Rennie
- Zip Code
- 30084
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Karen Hochman, MD
- Zip Code
- 30030
- Comments
- В
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Gloria Tatum
- Zip Code
- 30033
- Comments
- We are now the United Corporation of America. Government continues to give away millions to corporations while the people continue to lose their homes, jobs and healthcare. It is time to care about people not for profit corporations.
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Sandra Bravo
- Zip Code
- 30319
- Comments
- Please help people with needs instead
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Patty Berkovitz
- Zip Code
- 30327
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Paul Pattillo
- Zip Code
- 30022
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tom ferguson
- Zip Code
- 30312
- Comments
- В
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Delaney Bell
- Zip Code
- 30355
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Deborah Conton
- Zip Code
- 30316
- Comments
- This is sad. Georgia is a Republican state and unfortunately, I live in it. No tax breaks for these big health corporations. It is time for a change!
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Bruce Hagen
- Zip Code
- 30350
- Comments
- В
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Robert C. Brown, Jr., Ph.D.
- Zip Code
- 30312
- Comments
- I am appalled at the temerity of Governor Perdue in supporting such a ludicrous proposal. Why in God's World would such a handout occur? Talk about welfare, if this isn't the epitome of corporate welfare I have yet to hear of it.
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Julie Brown
- Zip Code
- 30144
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Tonia Poteat
- Zip Code
- 30030
- Comments
- В
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Robert Soloway
- Zip Code
- 30032
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Mary Gillmor-Kahn
- Zip Code
- 30306
- Comments
- В
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Claire Westdahl
- Zip Code
- 30350
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Catherine Bradshaw
- Zip Code
- 30307
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Kristina Cook Connelly
- Zip Code
- 30747
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John A. Carroll, Jr.
- Zip Code
- 30215
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Barbara M. Carroll
- Zip Code
- 30215
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John
- Zip Code
- 30305
- Comments
- Healthcare is NOT an avenue to get rich and save money! Making sure that everyone in America has health insurance will cost money. Large companies make enough money as it is charging unreasonably high rates and do not need any breaks for the robbery that they get away with!!!
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Arthur York
- Zip Code
- 31201
- Comments
- PUBLIC interest, NOT special interest. Get these special interest right-wingers out of there!!!
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Stephen Wingeier
- Zip Code
- 30307
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Audrey Polk
- Zip Code
- 30342
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Katherine E. Vytal
- Zip Code
- 30329
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Orion Hanson
- Zip Code
- 30317
- Comments
- As a tax payer,I do not support this bill.
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94
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