Arizona-2017-HM2001-Enrolled

House Engrossed

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-third Legislature

First Regular Session

2017

HOUSE MEMORIAL 2001

A memorial

urging the United States Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act's health insurance tax.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

To the Congress of the United States of America:

Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, the Affordable Care Act's health insurance tax is a direct sales tax on health insurance that significantly increases premiums; and

Whereas, studies by Oliver Wyman have estimated that the health insurance tax results in an extra cost to small businesses of an average of $280 per employee per year and to individuals who purchase insurance coverage on their own of $220 per year; and

Whereas, in December 2015, Congress and the Obama Administration reached an agreement on a bipartisan budget that enacted a one‑year moratorium on the health insurance tax for the 2017 plan year; and

Whereas, without immediate action, the health insurance tax will return at a higher cost for the 2018 plan year; and

Whereas, repealing the health insurance tax would ensure that consumers and small businesses are protected from a hefty premium increase and would protect the states from having to absorb this increase as part of their Medicaid budgets; and

Whereas, United States Representatives Kristi Noem and Kyrsten Sinema recently introduced bipartisan legislation to repeal the health insurance tax; and

Whereas, this bipartisan solution would lower premiums, thus providing much-needed relief to families, seniors enrolling in Medicare Advantage plans and small businesses across the nation and helping to reduce costs for state Medicaid programs.

Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, prays:

1. That the United States Congress act immediately to repeal the Affordable Care Act's costly health insurance tax.

2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit a copy of this Memorial to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.