Doctor tax dropped from CT healthcare bill

by: sufi

Tue Mar 27, 2007 at 10:45:08 AM EDT

Interestingly, though, it appears that taxing the insurance companies that increase their profit margins by denying medically necessary care never seemed to be an option.

In any event, American Medical News reports:

Washington -- Connecticut lawmakers -- for now at least -- have stripped a tax on doctors out of a measure to expand health care access to the uninsured.

Four Democratic legislators are backing the $900 million Connecticut Healthy Steps bill. The legislation would create a subsidized insurance pool for the 400,000 uninsured state residents, increase Medicaid physician payment by 30% and help small businesses provide health insurance.

But the Insurance and Real Estate Committee voted 18-1 last month to remove the proposed physician and hospital tax from the bill for further discussion, said a panel co-chair, Rep. Brian O'Connor, one of the bill's sponsors. "There wasn't a consensus on how to fund [the plan]," he said.

Who is the one legislator who voted in favor of this doctor tax???

Physicians were up in arms over the tax. Connecticut State Medical Society Chair Michael Deren, MD, a thoracic surgeon in New London, said he appreciated state efforts to cover the uninsured, but a "wellness tax" would decrease access to care by further financially burdening physicians.