S-3481.1          _______________________________________________

                            SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8026

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Senators Thorsness, Owen, West, Roach, Stratton, Sellar, Amondson, Anderson, Hayner, L. Smith, Bailey, Metcalf, Nelson and Erwin

Read first time 01/23/92.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.Requesting Congress to promote national health care through tax incentives.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE:

     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

     WHEREAS, It is critical that the federal government provide leadership to the states in order to ensure that health care delivery reform strategies are compatible and consistent throughout the nation; and

     WHEREAS, It is critical that every individual in the United States be covered by a basic health care policy and insured for catastrophic care; and

     WHEREAS, Many citizens cannot afford basic health care coverage; and

     WHEREAS, The tax structure does not encourage acquisition of health care coverage through insurance or direct purchase of necessary medical care; and

     WHEREAS, These laws provide tax relief only to those who purchase their medical care through a health insurance policy provided by their employer; and

     WHEREAS, Many individuals currently receive health care coverage through their employer, however the coverage is not transferable should they change jobs or become unemployed; and

     WHEREAS, Many unemployed or underemployed citizens cannot provide adequate health care coverage for themselves or their families; and

     WHEREAS, Consumers with very low incomes or very high medical costs should receive extra tax relief; and

     WHEREAS, The consumer of health care and the health care professional together can best make informed medical decisions, based on personal needs in a consumer-based program;

     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress provide tax relief for medical care and health insurance to employees and families directly instead of through the workplace; and that Congress authorize a national health care consumer-based mechanism that:

     (1) Repeals tax exemptions currently available to businesses that provide health care insurance;

     (2) Allocates money back to consumers so that they can shop for their health coverage;

     (3) Institutes tax deductions for individuals who purchase their own health care insurance and pay for health care from their preferred provider and on purchase of prescription and over-the-counter medications;

     (4) Allows tax deductions on personal income tax for medical insurance and prescribed medications;

     (5) Provides higher tax credits to those very low-income or high medical users so that they too can shop for their basic health care; and

     (6) Requires all heads of households to purchase at least a basic level of catastrophic insurance for themselves and their families.

     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the Internal Revenue Service, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.