Physicians don't want new tax to fund Utah health care
Salt Lake City — (KUTV) Utah doctors are fighting a proposed new doctor tax.
Gov. Gary Herbert and legislative leadership want a big increase in doctor's licensing fees to help pay for health care for those below or near the poverty level. The fee would raise $12 million to be used to pay Utah's portion of health care for poor people. Monday, doctors voiced their displeasure.
Doctors don't want a new state doctor tax. They say it is an unfair tax because physicians already feel like they're giving to the state by seeing medicaid patients because the fee schedule is so much lower than regular patients. They say imposing a tax, as if they are gaining something out of the deal, seems very unfair to physicians.
Herbert hoped to have an agreement this month. Now with doctors fighting the plan he may not succeed.
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