Tax Credits Could Help Extend Coverage
A proposal that provides tax credits to help U.S. residents purchase health insurance could help address the "health care crisis," American Medical Association President J. Edward Hill told a group of physicians in Volusia County, Fla., on Tuesday, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.
In a speech to members of the Volusia County Medical Society, Hill said, "The presidential candidate who can convince the public that he or she can solve the health care crisis will win the next election. Middle-class America is in pain from the cost of medical care, and they aren't going to take it much longer." He said that AMA supports a proposal that "gives tax credits inversely related to income -- the less money you make the more credit you get to purchase medical insurance."
In addition, Hill said that, although the Medicare prescription drug benefit was established by "imperfect legislation," the program has "helped more people than it hurt." According to Hill, the main problems with the Medicare prescription drug benefit are the use of the Internet in enrollment and the large number of plans from which beneficiaries can select. He added, "I don't think there's much competition -- people are struggling to find out which drug plan has their drugs on it" (Geggis, Daytona Beach News-Journal, 2/22).