Yes, and it’s “bipartisan” (via The Lonely Conservative)
(The Weekly Standard) Congress is preparing to take action on a bipartisan proposal to raise taxes on flu vaccines. This is not a tax on the wealthy, but rather on a broad swath of Americans, or at least those who choose to be immunized against the flu.
In February, identical bills were introduced in the House and Senate to add seasonal flu vaccines to the IRS code as taxable. The legislation would exact a 75¢ per dose tax on any “vaccine against seasonal influenza.” Given that the Centers for Disease Control projects that 135 million doses of flu vaccine will be used this year, the government’s take on flu vaccines alone is over $100,000,000 per year.
Along with taxes on other vaccines, this tax would fund the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund.  The fund is a “no-fault alternative to the traditional tort system for resolving vaccine injury claims that provides compensation to people found to be injured by certain vaccines.”  However, the fund is by no means in the same kind of trouble that other government “trust funds” are.
The Senate has reached an agreement on the legislation, and looks like there will be votes shortly. Here’s a chance for Obama to keep his promise on not raising taxes on Americans making less than $200k a year.
Of course, liberals will say “hey, it’s only 75 cents”. Add this to the tons of other “it’s just…” taxes and cost of living increases. Oh, and
As is the case with all government “trust funds,” there is no cash set aside to pay out claims. According to the November 2012 report on the vaccine trust, the $3.5 billion balance is invested in “US Treasury Securities.” In other words, financing a portion of the $16.5 trillion national debt.
Just another way to nickle and dime the citizens to pay for the prolificant spending of the US government.
