Mr. President Trump, where are the Physicians and CPAs?

Mr. President Trump, where are the Physicians and CPAs?

Mr. President, Tuesday you had a town hall meeting with CEOs which is part of a continuing dialogue with business leaders designed to elicit ideas of ways to jump start the economy. Ideas and firsthand experience is essential to develop a plan and effective laws. With the recent attempt to overhaul Obamacare I did not notice any practicing physicians being invited to the White House; and with proposed tax law changes I do not notice that there any practicing CPAs being consulted with.

Practicing physicians, particularly those that own smaller practices see the direct results of health care legislation, rules, regulations, overbearing compliance and added costs of such while serving their patients in the best manner they deserve. They also show the patience their patients need for their diagnosis and treatment but are continually being thwarted by the new business model adopted in the medical profession. These doctors should be heard from about what goes on at the patient level in their offices all the way up to their interaction with the insurance companies that pay the doctors. Invite the doctors to be heard.

Practicing CPAs that sit down with clients to receive their tax information, and then prepare the returns and deliver the results also need to be heard. They see firsthand the effect of the tax laws, unintelligible mazes in the tax forms, dozens of definitions for the same thing, and totally confusing rules for some of the most common income items; and the effect on a client of receiving a smaller refund or making an unexpected payment. Income taxation is a necessary obligation and should be understandable by a large majority of taxpayers, and it isn’t. I know you do not prepare your own return and would not expect you to given the complexity of your activities, but I am sure most members of Congress do not have such complexity and suggest that not only do most of them use a professional preparer, but am willing to proffer that most cannot even do their infant child’s or grandchild’s return. If I am right, then that is either a sin or the epitome of arrogance by those we trust to look out for us with reasonable laws. I know you are busy, but try doing one of your grandchildren’s returns and you will know what I mean.

CEOs are important to meet with, but so are physicians and CPAs and other professionals working in the areas that will be affected by legislation. Please consider this. Thank you.