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Bush wants tax breaks for health costs
President will use State of the Union address to push for more deductions on out-of-pocket medical expenses.


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - President Bush will propose new tax breaks for personal health spending during his State of the Union address next week, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

The tax breaks, which will be included in the 2007 budget, will allow people to write off more of the amount they spend on health insurance co-payments, deductibles and care not covered by insurance, The Washington Post said.

According to the report, current tax rules allow medical costs to be deducted only if they exceed 7.5 percent of a person's adjusted gross income.

The move to allow more deductions on out-of-pocket medical expenses is part of a White House initiative to rein in rising health-care costs by shifting responsibility to individuals, the newspaper said, citing congressional and other sources.

In addition to the wider deductions, Bush will propose an expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money in tax-free accounts for medical costs, the Post reported.

The president also will call for changes to let people keep their insurance, without additional cost, if they change jobs or start a business, the newspaper said.

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