NAHU Applauds Rep. Granger's Health Tax Credit Bill

(March 12, 2003, Arlington, VA) -- The National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) praises Representatives Kay Granger (R-TX), Albert Wynn (D-MD) and Nancy Johnson (R-CT) for their efforts to provide more affordable health insurance for Americans. NAHU supports the bill introduced today, the Securing Access Value and Equality (SAVE) to Health Care Act, because it benefits all eligible individuals - those that need help purchasing coverage offered by their employer and those without access to employer-sponsored coverage.

SAVE will provide each individual with a refundable tax credit toward the purchase of health insurance. The credit will be $1,000 for individuals, $2,000 for married couples, and $500 per dependent up to $3,000 per family, plus 50% of any additional premiums to assist those with higher costs. Those who purchase coverage through their employer's plan will be eligible for 25% of the individual credit amounts. The credit will be available to eligible individuals monthly, when their health insurance premiums are due.

"Refundable health insurance tax credits are an important component of an overall program to increase health care access and will provide a real solution to the problem of the uninsured by addressing affordability -- the most basic component of access to health care," explained Janet Trautwein, vice president of government affairs. "It is a private-sector solution to a difficult public problem and it encourages personal responsibility by giving people the tools they need to make their own health care decisions. And, don't all Americans deserve a decent chance to acquire affordable, dependable health coverage?"

The National Association of Health Underwriters represents more than 17,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who provide insurance for millions of Americans. NAHU is headquartered in Arlington, VA. For more information, please call Kelly Loussedes, director of public relations at 703-276-3835 or email kloussedes@nahu.org or visit our web site at www.nahu.org.

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