washingtonscene
Another Bogus Chain E-mail Health care tax rumor is not true.
D
ozens of members have asked MOAA about a chain e-mail circu- lating that asserts employer W-2s
will have to show the value of employer- provided health care coverage and that workers will have to pay taxes on that benefit value. This is a classic case of taking one fact
out of context and creating a myth. If you receive such an e-mail, please use
MOAA’s response below to educate the sender and stop the spread of misinforma- tion. (MOAA has double-checked with the Senate Finance Committee staff to ensure we’re reading the law correctly.) It is true the new law requires an
entry on the W-2 showing the cost of employer-provided care. But employees won’t be taxed on it. The purpose of in- cluding it on the W-2 is to show employ- ees what the benefit value is (much as the military services provide an annual statement of military benefits value to currently serving personnel). n It’s not the employees but rather the in- surance companies providing those plans (and employers that self-insure) that could be subject to taxation on part of such value — several years downstream. n Those companies won’t be taxed on health care benefits value before 2018. n There won’t be any taxes imposed on plans that aren’t deemed “Cadillac” plans (defined as costing more than $10,200 for an individual or $27,500 for a family plan). n The tax won’t be on the total value of the plan. Insurers will be assessed 40 percent of whatever share of the value exceeds the $27,500 threshold. (i.e., if
the value of a plan is $30,000, the insurer will be taxed 40 percent of $2,500, which equals $1,000).
No Joy
at MOAA Key lobbyist relocates.
J
oy Dunlap, MOAA’s deputy director of Government Relations for Military Family Issues, has relocated to North
Carolina upon retirement of her husband, Maj. Gen. Charles Dunlap, USAF-Ret., who served more than 30 years on active duty. Joy is an advocate for military families and has played key roles in winning enact- ment of the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act to protect spouses’ voting and domiciliary rights as they move among states; secur- ing reinstatement of the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program to help spouses pursue portable careers; and convincing state gov- ernments to join the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Chil- dren to help ease school-transition issues for military children relocating between states. It speaks volumes about her initiative
that the Office of the Air Force Judge Advo- cate General established a permanent Joy Dunlap Family Service Award to recognize annually a family member who has made significant contributions to the strength, health, and welfare of the JAG Corps family. We’re grateful for Joy’s and Charlie’s great service and wish them the best. MO
— Contributors are Col. Steve Strobridge, USAF- Ret., direc tor; Col. Mike Hayden, USAF-Ret.; Col. Bob Norton, USA-Ret.; Cmdr. René Campos, USN- Ret.; Capt. Kathy Beasley, USN-Ret.; Col. Phil Odom, USAF-Ret.; Joy Dunlap; Bret Shea; and Matt Mur- phy, MOAA’s Government Relations Department.
AU G U S T 2 0 1 0 MI L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 3 9
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