Better Medicare Alliance Applauds Bipartisan Letter from Over 50 Freshmen Members of Congress Urging HIT Delay
Lawmakers press House leadership to include HIT delay in end-of-year legislation
Washington, D.C. – Better Medicare Alliance, an advocacy group of more than 400,000 beneficiaries and nearly 140 ally organizations supporting Medicare Advantage (MA), applauded a bipartisan letter sent by more than 50 freshmen Members of Congress to House leadership urging immediate action to delay the multi-billion-dollar Health Insurance Tax (HIT).
The letter, led by Representatives Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) and John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA), explains how the HIT “increases health care costs for consumers” and calls for Congress to act “immediately … to protect individuals and families, seniors, and small businesses” by including a delay of the HIT for two years “in legislation that must pass before the end of the year.”
“On behalf of the 22 million Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, Better Medicare Alliance thanks Congressman Brindisi, Congressman Joyce, and their co-signers for their efforts to stave off this tax on their constituents’ health care,” said Allyson Y. Schwartz, President and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance. “The strong bipartisan support for this letter – 24 Democrats and 27 Republicans – shows lawmakers are serious about protecting Americans from added health care cost burden. We urge Congressional leadership to heed the concerns of this chorus of Members and delay the HIT before year’s end.”
A leader in the fight to stop the HIT, Better Medicare Alliance recently led nearly 50 stakeholder groups on a letter to rally support for the Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2019 (H.R. 1398/ S. 172) which would also delay the HIT for two years.
Better Medicare Alliance President and CEO Allyson Y. Schwartz also co-authored a recent column with Congressman Brindisi in The Hill endorsing a permanent repeal of the HIT.
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