House ‘Problem Solvers’ caucus bill includes medical device tax repeal

The so-called “Problem Solvers Caucus” in the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday filed a bill to amend Obamacare that would also do away with the medical device tax that’s slated to go back into effect next year.

The tax, a 2.3% levy on all U.S. sales of prescribed medical devices, was in effect for 2014 and 2015 before being put on a two-year moratorium for 2016-2017. It’s slated to resume Jan. 1.

The bi-partisan bill, H.R. 4695, “To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide for stabilization in the individual health insurance market, and for other purposes,” was co-sponsored by Reps. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.).

“This is a tax on innovation, a tax on jobs, and a tax on the health and well-being of millions of American patients. It makes no sense from either a health care or a tax policy perspective, which is why bipartisan majorities for years in both the House and Senate have called for this tax to be repealed,” AdvaMed president & CEO Scott Whitaker said in prepared remarks. “We only have a few days before this tax goes back into effect, so we urge the Congress and the Administration to follow the Caucus’ lead and repeal this onerous tax once and for all.”

Earlier this week Whitaker asked the Trump administration directly to repeal the tax.