The US House of Representatives has proposed a five-year suspension to the medical device tax that would keep it from becoming active again next year, according to an AdvaMed press release posted today. The proposal comes from House Ways & Means Committee Chair Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) and Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), […]
Capitol Hill
House punts med device tax until after tax reform is finished
The US House of Representatives will not be considering the 2.3% medical device tax in its new push for tax reform, promising to attend to them after the reform effort is finished, according to a Washington Examiner report. Both the medical device tax and taxes on health insurers which were part of Obamacare will be […]
Congress approves disaster relief bill, $5B slated to support Puerto Rico
US Congress this week approved a $36.5 billion emergency relief bill that will give Puerto Rico access to $4.9 billion in treasury loans to support continued Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in the region, according to a Bloomberg report. The bill passed the senate in an 82 to 17 vote on Tuesday after being approved 353 […]
Medtech industry mobilizes to repeal med device tax before suspension ends
The medtech industry is rushing to keep the medical device tax, part of Obamacare, from coming back into effect at the start of 2018 after its suspension lapses. Many in the industry were hopeful the tax would be axed as part of healthcare reform that was slated to repeal and replace Obamacare earlier in the […]
Report: Former Eli Lilly exec Azar considered front-runner for HHS spot
The Trump administration is giving top consideration to former Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) executive and George W. Bush admin official Alex Azar to operate as head of the Health and Human Services, according to a Politico report. A White House official said that Trump has signed off on Azar, while other officials commented that he had […]
VA head Shulkin under consideration for HHS head
Current US Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin is slated for an interview as a candidate to lead the Dept. of Health and Human Services, replacing recently resigned HHS Secretary Tom Price, according to a Wall Street Journal report. VA Secretary Shulkin, a holdover from the Obama administration, is being considered among several candidates to […]
Trump signs executive order targeting Obamacare
President Trump today signed an executive order that could undermine Obamacare as it looks to make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bones health insurance plans. The order aims to allow small businesses to group up and buy cheaper health plans, known as association health plans, with less regulations and fewer benefits for their employees. […]
Bipartisan ‘Problem Solvers’ healthcare reform bill would kill medtech tax
A new bipartisan effort from the US Congress’ Problem Solvers Caucus that looks to alter Obamacare includes a provision to eliminate the 2.3% medical device tax, according to a Finger Lakes Times report. The movement has received support from democratic Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Repub. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who said they are looking […]
Trump signs FDA user fee bill into law
President Donald Trump last week signed a bill to re-up the agreement between the FDA and the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, putting medical device companies in line for a collective $1 billion in user fees. Companies pay user fees to help cover the cost of the safety watchdog’s reviews of their products. The bill […]
House Dems launch MS drug pricing probe
Democrats from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform have sent letters to seven drugmakers as part of an investigation into why prices for multiple sclerosis drugs have nearly quadrupled since 2004. Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and Peter Welch (D-Mass.) penned inquiries to Bayer, Biogen, EMD Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis and Teva Pharmaceuticals. Get […]
UPDATE: Industry panels disintegrate in wake of Trump remarks
A pair of industry panels convened by President Donald Trump disintegrated today in the wake of his latest comments on the racist violence in Charlottesville. After Merck (NYSE:MRK) CEO Kenneth Frazier announced on Monday that he planned to leave Donald Trump’s manufacturing advisory panel, a wave of executives followed in his path. Today, reversing from a […]