NEW YORK (Reuters) - UnitedHealth Group Inc <UNH.N> said on Tuesday that the health insurance tax, a 3 percent tax levied on all health insurance premiums, raises prices for consumers and should be repealed or deferred.

The tax is currently on hiatus and is slated to return in 2018 despite widespread support for its permanent repeal. Its future is uncertain because of the Republican failures to pass healthcare legislation that would address this.

(Reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)