The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) has released its scores of each of the revenue provisions in Senator Harry Reid’s revised health care bill.
It appears that all the buying off of individual senators is over and that this will be the bill that is voted on in the Senate this Thursday (Christmas Eve). But as with everything in this health care debate, it’s hard to predict what will happen two hours from now, let alone four days from now.
Among the highlights of this revised Reid health care bill are a new taxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. on tanning bed services and an even higher payroll taxA payroll tax is a tax paid on the wages and salaries of employees to finance social insurance programs like Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance. Payroll taxes are social insurance taxes that comprise 24.8 percent of combined federal, state, and local government revenue, the second largest source of that combined tax revenue. increase on high-wage earners. Here’s the full list copied directly from JCT:
40% excise taxAn excise tax is a tax imposed on a specific good or activity. Excise taxes are commonly levied on cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, soda, gasoline, insurance premiums, amusement activities, and betting, and typically make up a relatively small and volatile portion of state and local and, to a lesser extent, federal tax collections. on health coverage in excess of $8,500/$23,000 indexed for inflationInflation is when the general price of goods and services increases across the economy, reducing the purchasing power of a currency and the value of certain assets. The same paycheck covers less goods, services, and bills. It is sometimes referred to as a “hidden tax,” as it leaves taxpayers less well-off due to higher costs and “bracket creep,” while increasing the government’s spending power. by CPI-U plus 1% and increased thresholds for over age 55 retirees or certain high-risk professions; levied at insurer level; employer aggregates and issues information return for insurers indicating amount subject to the excise tax; nondeductible; high 17 state transition relief
Employer W-2 reporting of value of health benefits
Conform the definition of medical expenses for health savings accounts, Archer MSAs, health flexible spending arrangements, and health reimbursement arrangements to the definition of the itemized deductionItemized deductions allow individuals to subtract designated expenses from their taxable income and can be claimed in lieu of the standard deduction. Itemized deductions include those for state and local taxes, charitable contributions, and mortgage interest. An estimated 13.7 percent of filers itemized in 2019, most being high-income taxpayers. for medical expenses (excluding over-the-counter medicines prescribed by a physician)
Increase the penalty for nonqualified health savings account distributions to 20%
Limit health flexible spending arrangements in cafeteria plans to $2,500, indexed to CPI-U after 2011
Require information reporting on payments to corporations
Additional requirements for section 501(c)(3) hospitals
Impose $2.3 billion annual fee on manufacturers and importers of branded drugs
Impose annual fee on manufacturers and importers of certain medical devices
Impose annual fee on health insurance providers
Study and report of effect on veterans health care
Eliminate deduction for expenses allocable to Medicare Part D subsidy
Raise 7.5% AGI floor on medical expenses deduction to 10%; AGI floor for individuals age 65 and older (and their spouses) remains at 7.5% through 2016
$500,000 deduction limitation on taxable year remuneration to officers, employees, directors, and service providers of covered health insurance providers
Raise the hospital insurance tax on wages and self-employment income in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 joint) by 0.9 percentage points, unindexed
Modification of section 833 treatment of certain health organizations
Impose 10% excise tax on indoor tanning services
Provide income exclusion for specified Indian tribe health benefits
Simple cafeteria plan nondiscrimination safe harbor for certain small employers
Qualifying therapeutic discovery project credit (sunset 12/31/10)
Exclusion for assistance provided to participants in state student loan repayment programs for certain health professionals
Make the adoption credit refundable; increase qualifying expenses threshold, and extend the adoption credit through 2011
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