Democrats weigh new tax on investment income

Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2010

House and Senate negotiators are considering applying for the first time the Medicare payroll tax to investment income as part of a compromise to pay for a health overhaul, the Wall Street Journal reports. The extra Medicare tax would apply only to the wealthy and could allow congressional Democrats to reduce the sting of a tax on high-cost insurance plans, Democratic aides and others briefed on the negotiations told the Journal.