The cost of health insurance is an ongoing concern. But that cost would be even more concerning had Congress not repealed a 40% tax on certain employer-sponsored policies last year.

For that, we can thank U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney. Congressman Courtney led the charge to scrap this "Cadillac" tax and saved Connecticut employers and families thousands of dollars a year in the process.

Enacted in 2010, the tax intended to take aim at high-end, "gold-plated" coverage. It quickly became clear, however, that the Cadillac tax would raise costs for middle-income families. The levy established an incentive for employers to force workers to shoulder more of the costs of their plan. Ramping up deductibles, premiums and co-insurance would keep plans under Cadillac tax thresholds.

By scrapping the tax, Congress ensured American businesses could keep the billions of dollars it would have raised. If the tax had remained, they almost certainly would have trimmed benefits or cut jobs.

Thanks to Rep. Courtney's efforts, there is reason to be optimistic about our state's economic prospects.

Jeffrey Knapp

East Lyme