A coalition of health care, business and anti-smoking groups urged the House to take up a 50-cent a pack cigarette tax approved by the Senate last week. The bill would expand Medicaid, but also help low-income individuals purchase health insurance.
House leaders have been skeptical of using the money for Medicaid, but tax advocates said raising the tax will discourage people form smoking and eventually save the state money.
Prosperity physician, and former gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Oscar Lovelace, urged House Speaker Bobby Harrell to "push this issue and not let anything get in the way of it this session.
"There is no better way to lower our health care costs than to raise the cigarette tax."
The House will consider amendments to the bill, before sending it back to the Senate for a likely conference committee. House leaders have floated the idea of using some or all of the estimated $159.8 million revenue for a small business tax cut.
Comments