Planet Money on Taxing Health Care

NPR’s Planet Money did an excellent podcast about the debate on taxing health care benefits. John Gruber, MIT economist, describes the benefits of such an idea. There is one point on the podcast that I take issue with. The host at one point says economists love the idea of taxing health care. Economists don’t love or hate any tax. Rather economists have been trained to see the world in terms of efficiency and costs and benefits. Economists then compare alternatives to find the one with the greater total benefit. Planet Money can, of course, be forgiven the hyperbole since it still provides a thought provoking economic podcasts.

For a thought provoking tax policy podcast go to the Tax Foundation Podcast. (Now please forgive my shameless plug.)