Krugman on excise tax

Paul Krugman clearly summarizes his thoughts on the excise tax. I have written alot about it and been in favor and still am and think he makes the key points regarding why I am in favor. One further thing that I wish is that we would more clearly just limit the tax exclusion (whether there was an allowance for age, for example) because this would help to focus a cultural discussion of health care costs on the end user of care: you and me. The tax has largely been sold politically as a tax on the bad insurance companies....which will be passed on....in fact, it has to be passed on or it won't work as desired, which is to make people pay more attention to how much insurance they have. Sometimes you have to hold your nose (on the demagoguery related to tax the insurance companies, not the person) because it is at least a de facto capping of the tax exclusion and far preferable to an income tax increase for these reasons.

Here are columns I have written that highlight the excise tax: July 10, Oct 23, Aug 21.