Sen. Wyden (D-OR) Speaks Truth on Health Tax Policy

Marguerite Bowling / October 01, 2009

Here’s a simple fact: It’s impossible to reform the health insurance markets and create a consumer-driven system based on personal choice and real health plan competition without reforming the federal tax treatment of health insurance. All arguments to that fact, from Republicans and Democrats alike, are nonsensical.

So, it’s heartening when self-proclaimed progressive Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is on the same page as the Heritage Foundation and the nation’s leading conservative health policy analysts on the central issue of federal tax policy. Wyden’s comments today at the Urban Institute underline the broad bipartisan support that does exist in Washington and elsewhere for changing the tax treatment of health benefits to make it more equitable for individual consumers. (more…)