The Power of A

As Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday and millions begin to pack their luggage to travel, associations are providing valuable advice and information to ensure that everyone has a safe and less stressful holiday season.

Thanksgiving week is considered the largest travel weekend of the year, with millions of Americans driving and flying to different destinations to celebrate the holiday.  While airlines are expecting fewer delays than last year, the crowds and number of people flying can increase stress among all participants.  The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) estimates that 4 million fewer people will fly this year, but still has a resource page of tips for fliers to minimize their delays and make their air travel smoother.  The American Automobile Association (AAA) is estimating that the number of car travelers will be increasing by over 2% this year, making for more crowded roads.  American Trucking Associations has a list of tips for Thanksgiving drivers to ensure safe travel on the highways, including have an emergency kit for breakdowns, be aware of truck blind spots, and know the local weather.

Of course when most people think Thanksgiving, they think of turkey.  The National Turkey Federation has a Thanksgiving turkey site, which in addition to having recipes for cooking turkey, has information on safe eating and preparation as well as how to contact health officials if you suspect food poisoning.  But if you plan on not cooking this Thanksgiving, you are not alone.  According to the National Restaurant Association, 11% of Americans eat at a restaurant on Thanksgiving, while 53% of consumers use restaurant-prepared takeout dishes as part of their Thanksgiving meal.

Does your association have good tips or information for the Thanksgiving holiday?

Quick Hits

The New York Times analyzes how the “Cadillac” health care plan tax proposal will affect consumers… The American Medical Association and AARP are launching media ads about how health care reform proposals will affect Medicare… The Hill interviews an FCC Commissioner on net neutrality.

In the debate to pay for comprehensive health care legislation, one idea that would only partially pay for reform is the idea to tax beverages. Specifically, some members of Congress have proposed leveraging an excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages and changing the excise tax on alcoholic beverages to an equal tax on beer and wine based on alcoholic content.

The new sugar-sweetened tax proposal, which is specifically aimed at sodas, was recently estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to raise $50 billion over ten years, a small percentage of the $1 trillion the comprehensive bill is expected to cost. But proponents of the excise tax argue that in addition to providing some savings for health care legislation, it would promote public health and save on long-term care costs. In a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, the American Public Health Association and a coalition of groups argued: “While many factors contribute to weight gain, soft drinks are the only food or beverage shown to have a direct link to obesity, which in turn can lead to hypertension, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and other health and psychological problems.”

Other associations have argued that the excise tax would unfairly impact lower-income Americans and would not deter consumption in the long term. American Beverage Association (ABA) President & CEO Susan Neely, CAE told the Wall Street Journal, “Taxes are not going to teach our children how to have a healthy lifestyle.” ABA is working with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (of which the American Heart Association is a founder) to promote its “School Beverage Guidelines” to promote healthy drink choices in schools.

By contrast, a federal excise tax is already imposed on alcoholic beverages, but at different rates for beer, wine, and spirits. Under the funding proposal, the excise tax would be increased and the tax made uniform based on the alcoholic content of the beverage. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) supports the proposal as “a means of covering the cost to society caused by misuse of alcohol.”

The proposal has drawn criticism from trade associations representing the industry. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States opposes the tax because it would hurt industry employment. “Forcing hundreds of thousands of waiters, waitresses, bartenders, and busboys into the unemployment line is not the way to reform our nation’s health care system,” it said in a statement.

What do you think? Are beverage taxes a viable way to pay for comprehensive health care reform?

Quick Hits

Senate Finance Ranking Member Sen. Grassley (R-IA) expresses support for the co-op alternative to a public plan… White House Chief Political Advisor says president may sign bill without public plan and with the removal of the tax-exemption for health care… AARP issues statement urging Senate to consider biologics issue with health care reform… Senator Baucus pressures medical groups to provide health care savings for his legislation.