LATINO HEALTH: Mexican-American Business Group Calls for Tax Credits
In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, Mexican Benefit Committee President Hortensia Magana writes that despite the growing political clout of Latinos, they are "getting the shortest end of the health care stick" in California, "the mother lode of electoral votes and the state that could easily decide which political party will control Congress and the White House after 2000." Noting that a University of California study revealed that nearly 40% of nonelderly California Latinos lack health insurance, Magana calls for a $3,000 health care tax credit. "Such a policy would promote health care equity by providing benefits to low- and middle-income uninsured workers," Magana writes. As head of a "business group that provides aid to the Mexican American community through alliances with charitable organizations," Magana says the tax credit is a "bipartisan approach" that would maintain the faith of Latinos who "believe America has the best health care system in the world." He concludes, "[W]e want to see more of our community -- as well as many other Americans -- have access to it. ... We reject the notion that the U.S. must move toward a system of socialized medicine, as that has failed elsewhere. We urge the leaders of both parties to embrace our 'fair care' proposal and move forward with it now" (3/26).
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