I guess this is one way to get me to decrease my coke intake. LOL
By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN | 5/13/09 4:34 AM EDT
If you make big bucks — or enjoy alcohol, cigarettes and Coke — the government might hit you up to pay for fixing the nation’s health care system.
On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee peeked into vending machines and liquor stores, company payrolls and health savings accounts, looking for a mix of tax increases and spending cuts as a way to pay for a health overhaul — which could cost more than $1.5 trillion over 10 years.
Experts thought the big debate might be public plan vs. no public plan. But that may well pale in comparison to the difficulty of settling on a way to finance health care reform.
“I wish there were a number of painless options,” Robert Greenstein, executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, wrote in his prepared testimony. “There aren’t.”
There appeared to be a bubble of support among the experts for taxing bad behavior, including a $2 tax on a pack of cigarettes and a higher excise tax on alcohol.
But soda and sugary drinks found a friend Tuesday in Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking member on the Finance Committee.
He categorically rejected the idea during a conference call with reporters.
“No,” he said swiftly, when asked if there was any chance of taxing it. “I think, quite frankly, the only reason it’s being brought up is to get it shot down early so it doesn’t become part of the debate. I don’t think it’s going to have any legs at all.”
Still, it’s easy to see why the bad-habits tax was so tempting: Taxing tobacco, junk foods and alcohol could raise $600 billion over 10 years.
Lots of other options will also get a look.
People who like the tax-free status of their company health benefits could be asked to ante up. Money in the pot: more than $700 billion over 10 years.
Treasure the tax benefits from your health savings account? Some experts say the accounts encourage “excess consumption” of health services — and committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) agreed they’re worth a look. Money in the pot: $60 billion over 10 years.
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Comments: 21
Whole milk or skim milk? The fat in whole milk makes it a health risk! Better watch out.... pretty soon Uncle Sam is going to eye a tax on that as well! {rolling eyes at the govt's plan to overtax!}
I don't fit any of those categories
A coke drinking smoker is in trouble especially if they drive an SUV when they raise the gas tax in a couple years to encourage people to buy new smaller cars.
Smaller, lighter vehciles that are most likely less safe... and we'll all hold our breathe after an accident wondering if the new govt sponsored health care system will cover the injuries!
Thanks for sharing
Taxing bad behavior makes good sense to me, especially when it burdens responsible taxpayers who do their best to stay healthy. These habits drive up the cost of health care for all, whether private or government funded.
This is a convoluted way to pay for everything wrong with the government. Why should bailout people go to las vegas and stay in swanky hotels drinking swanky expensive drinks, hell prolly having sex on our dime and we have to pay extra tax on soda? To pay for what Hookers?
by the way I dont drink soda.
Totally against government run health care! Why not tax everything that isn't good for us or go back to taxing groceries again?? I have to wonder what if they started taxing something that you like or indulged in every now and then, would that be fair to you?? When the government have the power to dictate what I can and can't drink just because pop is bad?? Maybe we should start taxing the living daylights out of fast food restaurants since fast food is one of the reasons why this country is obese.