Press Release

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. praised the passage of a one year pause of the Health Insurance Tax, highlighting how it will lower the cost of health care for seniors, families and small businesses. By delaying the tax, the average individual will save more than $200 on health insurance costs and seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans will save $350.

"I introduced the Small Business and Family Relief Act in 2013 to help make insurance more affordable for middle class Americans and am pleased to see a version was finally included in the spending package. We should not be imposing this financial burden on small businesses for doing the right thing and providing their workers with quality health care. The tax makes it more expensive to provide health insurance to employees, hinders job growth, and could force layoffs. We must continue to work to increase health care enrollment to help drive down health care prices, but in the meantime this delay will protect small businesses, seniors, and families from potentially harmful costs."

River City Printers, a Rancho Cordova-based business that employs 31 people emphasized the benefit that this delay will have for the small business.

"Congressman Bera has been fighting to provide relief for California small businesses from the Health Insurance Tax," said Kasey Cotulla, owner of River City Printers in Rancho Cordova, CA. "We appreciate his leadership in securing a 1-year delay of the tax, which will allow small businesses like ours to re-invest those costs in our company and employees. We hope Congress will continue to fight for a long-term solution to this harmful tax on small businesses."

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He's fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country's debt in a responsible way. One of Bera's first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. As a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers, he's working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation's challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit https://www.bera.house.gov.

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