Show f do re V t Cost Cc s Year e r Utah taxpayers ers will ill b be c forced to pay more taxes the first year ear alone itUle if it the Ule administrations administration's King An An Anderson derson Bill HR is enacted enacted en cn- acted b by the thc Congress John F. F Waldo MD M.D. president president president dent of the Utah State Slate Medical Association said this week IT rI IS inconceivable that thal the administration n would attempt attempt attempt at at- tempt to push through Congress Con gress a tax increase of this magnitude at a time lime when itis it itS itis is S advocating a tax reduction he said Doctor Waldo explained U that lt the lie tax increase for Utah citizens is based on the Ule administrations administration's estimates of the cost of the health care forthe for fOJ forthe the aged proposal INSURANCE actual i e s. s s however er believe the King An derson Bill would cost at al least twice the administrations administration's estimate estimate es es- he said adding In all likelihood Utah's share o othis of f this tax load Joad would be even cven more staggering Doctor Waldo emphasized emphasize d that these tax figures are arc only v for the first year year ar The They will increase se substantially as th the thc e number of eligible beneficiaries ries increases II he said TilE THE KING Anderson Bill sometimes referred to a as s Medicare would provide limited hooted health care benefits for everyone 65 and over eligible eligible eli eli- gible ble for fOJ social security and railroad retirement plus some aged not covered b by bythe the thc two laws Jaws Benefits would include from 90 to days of hospital care after alter certain payments b by the Ule patient or up to 45 days das atno at atno atno no cost to the aged patient nursing home service for up to days diagnostic services services services es es above e the first 20 and some home health services TIlE THE PROPOSAL would l be c cC C financed b by a double social security tax lax increase plus a boost in general revenue reve- reve nue flue taxes to provide benefits for all the aged regardless of need Doctor Waldo said I Social Security taxes would i be he increased one half of one per cent at the outset paid half b by employee an and half b by employer The taxable wage would be boosted from 1800 to toA T. T 1 Y A WAGE EAINER making or OJ more a year or a week weck would pay 2750 in additional taxes and his employer employer em em- employer a like amount for a total of 35 This is a 16 per percent percent cent tax increase In addition the wage earner and employer would pay extra cx ex tra lra taxes for benefits for the aged not covered ered by social security security se se- curit or railroad retirement Utah's share of this tax lax increase increase increase in in- crease would amount to 1 UTAH WORKERS now c earning earn carn- arn ing or more a year pay in social security taxes Additional social security tax increases already scheduled to togo togo togo go into effect in 1966 and 1968 will further boost their payroll payroll pay pay- roll roU deduction to If II the King Anderson ving-Anderson Anderson Bill becomes law these Ulese workers will have at least deducted from their paychecks by 1968 Doctor Waldo said Utah workers paid in social social so soy cial security taxes in 1961 and will pay in 1965 under un un- der the present law Jaw But if it tun King Anderson becomes law lawand lawand lawand and goes gocs into effect in hi 1965 Utah workers will be compelled com com- to pay in social social social so so- cial security taxes plus an additional in general gener gener- al revenue taxes UTAH WILL have persons age 65 or over in 1965 Doctor Waldo said the reason reason reason rea rea- son the King Anderson King Anderson proposal propos propos- al is staggeringly costly is the fact it il provides benefits for all persons over 65 regardless of their financial status TIllS THIS MEANS IEANS he S said its ils benefits would be available to millions ns of the well well-to-do and wealthy who can well afford aCford to pay for their own O care The King King Anderson Anderson t tax a x would dould be inequitable falling hea heaviest iest on those least able to i jay ay y Doctor Waldo said The a year a ear facto factory r y wo er would pay the JUie same tax lax for this unnecessary program program program pro pro- gram as the year a a year ex ex- ecu ve HE liE SAID the physicians of Ut Utah h strongly believe that every every ev ev- ery cry aged person who needs health care sh should uld get it re- re regardless re rc- of his ability to pay we favor the R Mills Kerr rr 1 ic la s passed by Cong Congress ess in 1960 r for r helping those who ne need d help and volunta r y y health health insurance and prepay prepay- met meri plans plans' for those who ca can afford aCCord them he be said Dr Dl Waldo pointed out that tha t m more more rc than or 55 pe per r cd t of the nations nation's elderly already al 31 rc really ready Iy have bave health insurance an and d arc are buying it at a faster rate rat than any other age group By helping those who nee need d help through the Mills Kerr law and letting those who ca can lal tale lake e care of themselves do so th the taxpayers of Utah can b be C saved millions of dollars a ae year e r the doctor said |