Momentum for repeal of the Medical Device Excise Tax is building in the 114th Congress.
In the United States House of Representatives, Rep. Erik Paulsen introduced H.R.160 – Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015. The bill already has over 250 co-sponsors including Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1), Paul Gosar, DDS (AZ-4), Matt Salmon (AZ-5), David Schweikert (AZ-6), Trent Franks (AZ-8), and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9).
In the United States Senate, Senators Orrin Hatch (UT) and Amy Klobuchar (MN) introduced legislation last week, S. 149, the “Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act,” which would repeal the medical device tax. The legislation had 8 additional co-sponsors (for a total of 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats), including Senators Al Franken (MN), Pat Toomey (PA), Joe Donnelly (IN), Richard Burr (NC), Rob Portman (OH), Bob Casey (PA), Dan Coats (IN) and Jeanne Shaheen (NH).
“Every dollar medical device manufacturers spend on this onerous tax is a dollar taken away from American innovation, job growth, and the ability to provide groundbreaking medical technologies to patients in need,” said Hatch. “Both Republicans and Democrats understand just how bad this tax really is, and we owe it to the American people to ensure the development of life-saving medical devices are not plagued by high-costs that will, ultimately, be passed on to patients. This is a common-sense bill, and I’m hopeful Congress will act swiftly to repeal this misguided tax once and for all.”
You can click here to read the Senate Finance Committee’s announcement of the introduction of the legislation.
Members of the medical device community reiterated their support for repeal in a letter signed by nearly 1,000 corporations and associations including AZBio.