already 'voiced concerns', and this is only one article I googled. Also, this articlehas to do with taxing healthcare benefits of people who can afford it, and it's from March.
It's going to be a long slog.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/03/14/healthcare_benefits_tax.html?cxntlid=inform_srMixed reaction for tax on healthcare benefits
By CHRIS REINOLDS, JAMIE GUMBRECHT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Metro Atlanta’s congressional delegation had mixed reactions to taxing healthcare benefits, with most of those contacted Saturday opposed to doing so.
The Obama administration reportedly is signaling to Congress that the president could support taxing some employee health benefits to help pay for an overhaul of the health care system.
U.S. Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.) said his constituents would “be astonished” at the idea.
“I think it’s just one more tax increase. I would be interested in seeing a total reform of the way in which we tax and reward healthcare benefits, not just pick on a corner of it,” Linder said.
U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) said his Ways and Means Committee last week had the Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag testify about health care reform, “and neither mentioned that possibility of taxing healthcare benefits.”
“It would be something we would have to take a very hard look at,” Lewis said. “I would not support it outright. We need to study all possible sources of revenue … before we even give any serious contemplation to taxing benefits.”
“I think a great majority of the members on the Ways and Means Committee would be very reluctant to support taxing health benefits,” he said.
But Congressman Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), an obstetrician, said he would consider taxing high-value healthcare benefits. For example, he would support taxes on benefits valued at $6,000 to $8,000 a year or more for individuals, and $12,000 or more a year for families.
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