Sinema’s leadership protected Arizonans from higher health costs caused by harmful taxes
WASHINGTON – Six Arizona small businesses, including Counsel Mortgage Group, Gunn Communications, Cypress HomeCare Solutions, Culbert & Nowicki PC, Spence Cassidy & Associates, and Bluemedia, thanked Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema for her bipartisan leadership making health care more affordable by repealing the Health Insurance Tax (HIT). Sinema has been leading the effort to repeal harmful health care taxes and protect Arizonans from higher costs since 2013.
“Repealing harmful health care taxes makes health care more affordable for Arizonans. We’ll keep partnering across the aisle to protect access and improve the affordability of health care for everyday families across our state,” said Sinema.
“Thanks to Senator Sinema’s support for the repeal of the HIT, this harmful tax is no longer a burden on the shoulders of small business owners, families, and those that are self-employed. The HIT would have made healthcare less affordable for those most in need of relief,” said John Rapasky, President of Counsel Mortgage Group, LLC.
“Thank you Senator Sinema for your support of the Health Insurance Tax (HIT) repeal. Because of your leadership, my family-owned small business is safe from what would have been a very harmful tax on our community,” said Timothy J. Nowicki, Managing Shareholder of Culbert & Nowicki, PC.
“I was relieved to learn that the HIT was going to be repealed in the end of year spending package and was proud to know that one of Arizona’s Senators, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, had led the charge and protected small business owners,” said Bob Roth, Managing Partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions.
“Fortunately, Senator Sinema understands the importance of the small business community and our ability to provide benefits. The Senator has shown that she can also reach across party-lines in the interest of her constituents—something that is rare in Washington these days. For these reasons, I thank Senator Sinema,” said Bill Cassidy, Managing Partner of Spence, Cassidy & Associates.
“Thank you Senator Sinema for your support in the repeal of the Health Insurance Tax. My company would have been forced to pay an additional tax of over $60,000 per year if it was not for this repeal. You recognized that this tax would have hurt small businesses like mine, and you put a stop to it. Because of the release of this burden, my company can now invest more in our employees and continue to expand,” said R.J. Orr, Executive Vice President and Partner of Bluemedia, Inc.
“I am glad that in such partisan times both political parties were able to work together to find a way to avoid the unnecessary Health Insurance Tax. Thank you, Senator Sinema, for allowing small businesses to now have the secured resources to invest in our economy,” said Brock Barnhart, Chief Operating Officer of Gunn Communications, Inc.
Sinema has led the effort to protect Arizonans and repeal the Health Insurance Tax, Medical Device Tax, and the Cadillac Tax since 2013.
Sinema earlier this year introduced the Jobs and Premium Protection Act with Republican Senators John Barrasso and Cory Gardner to repeal the Health Insurance Tax. This repeal is based on legislation Sinema championed while in the U.S. House that will spare Arizona families a nearly $500 annual increase in health insurance premiums. Last week, Sinema and a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress urged Congressional leaders to repeal the Health Insurance Tax.
Sinema is also a cosponsor of the Protect Medical Innovation Act, which permanently repeals the medical device tax and protects over 17,000 Arizona jobs in this innovative industry. Earlier this year, Sinema led a letter from the Arizona Congressional Delegation urging Congressional leaders to repeal the Medical Device Tax.
Sinema is also a cosponsor of the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act to repeal the Cadillac tax, an onerous 40 percent tax on employer-sponsored health plans that would raise premiums for hard-working Arizonans who get their health insurance through work.