Extra tax will burden businesses, families

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) contains a health insurance excise tax set to go into effect next year, which will place an unnecessary burden on our farmers, families and small businesses. This tax hurts the very people the ACA was meant to help. For these reasons, I urge Sen. Chuck Grassley to support Senate Bill S603 to repeal the health insurance excise tax.

While the tax is placed on insurance companies, the Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the burden will be passed along to consumers, costing families hundreds of dollars annually. This is the last thing we need as we try to rebuild our economy. As our small businesses work to add jobs, they have seen their health care costs increase nearly 103 percent since 2000. Adding an extra tax will only make it harder for businesses and families to make ends meet.

We need to encourage our leaders in Washington to protect our families and local small businesses from this burden.

Dale Jones

Cedar Rapids