House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions is proposing changes in the tax code that are a radical departure from what many other Republicans are proposing. The changes emphasize bread-and-butter reforms that benefit seniors, women, working families, and patients with chronic illnesses.
The Sessions agenda has the potential to chart a new direction for the Republican Party. Many of the ideas come from the Goodman Institute.
- Early retirees should be able to work and earn wages without losing Social Security benefits to a 50% earnings penalty.
- The elderly and the disabled on Medicare should be able to talk to doctors by phone, email, and Skype; receive Uber-type doctor house calls; and engage concierge doctors – using a tax-free Health Savings Account.
- Working couples should be able to choose higher wages instead of having to take duplicate benefits offered by separate employers.
- Patients with pre-existing conditions should have access to private health insurance that has lower premiums, lower deductibles and wider doctor networks – similar to Republican-created private insurance for seniors.
These changes will not cost the federal government money, according to the Goodman Institute. Instead they will make our institutions more efficient and better able to meet people’s needs.
0 Comments