Trump Calls for Tax Reform to End Individual Mandate

President Donald Trump on Monday added new complications to tax reform efforts underway on Capitol Hill.

Trump called for Congress to use tax reform to end the individual mandate and to cut the top rate to 35 percent, from its current 39.6 percent, in a tweet on Monday morning.

 

I am proud of the Rep. House & Senate for working so hard on cutting taxes {& reform.} We’re getting close! Now, how about ending the unfair & highly unpopular Indiv Mandate in OCare & reducing taxes even further? Cut top rate to 35% w/all of the rest going to middle income cuts?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2017

The House bill keeps the top tax rate at 39.6 percent. The Senate bill cuts the top rate to 38.5 percent. Neither bill includes a provision repealing the requirement that Americans pay a penalty if they do not have health insurance.

Last week, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that repealing the individual mandate would save the government $338 billion over ten years. It estimated that without the mandate, 13 million additional Americans would be uninsured in 2027.