Health Care

There’s a Secret Tax Strangling American Families and Employers 
...  It's the Cost of Health Care!
American businesses and families are facing double digit increases in health care costs, squeezing profits and paychecks like never before. Meanwhile, overseas businesses are off the hook. For instance, American automakers pay about $1,300 in employee health costs to build a mid sized car in America – but practically nothing just across the border in Canada. Congressman Steve Israel is fighting the special interests to reduce the cost of health care for American companies and families.

Affordable Health Care Expands our Economy
Small businesses are at the heart of our economy. But they’re hit the hardest by escalating health care costs. A recent study shows 15 percent of small business owners put off hiring because of rising health care costs in the past two years. Providing health care benefits help small businesses retain their best workers. Israel’s plan would expand tax credits for small businesses to help them fund affordable health coverage for their employees.

Taking on the High Price of Prescription Drugs
Affordable health care is increasingly dependent on affordable prescription medicines. Unfortunately, the cost of prescription drugs is increasing at double-digit rates. Rep. Israel is working to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. His plan would provide money for research on the effectiveness of cheaper alternatives to heavily marketed drugs. He is fighting the powerful drug lobby in Washington to permit the reimportation of safe, legal drugs from Canada, where American consumers can pay up to 50 percent less for their prescriptions.

Fighting for the Right Priorities
Fixing America’s health care crisis isn’t easy and isn’t cheap. Rep. Israel would fund his plan by ending tax shelters and unnecessary subsidies that drain revenues that could be invested in affordable health care: Subsidies to American farmers NOT to grow crops, offshore corporate tax havens and Bermuda tax shelters, and billions to big gas, oil, drilling, and mining companies. Israel would redirect that savings to small businesses and families to reduce their health care cost, expand their jobs and protect their paycheck.

Working to Correct a Flawed Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
Congressman Israel knows high drug prices are especially hard on seniors. That’s why he voted against legislation that could potentially push seniors into private plans that strip away cost savings and protections and could cost more than 200,000 New York seniors their current benefits. Under Rep. Israel’s plan, the prescription drug benefit is covered under Medicare, the same way doctor’s visits and hospitalizations are.