Say hello to MassDevice +7, a bite-sized view of the top seven med-tech stories of the week. This latest feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our seven biggest and most influential stories from the week’s news to make sure you’re up to date on the headlines that continue to shape the medical device industry.
If you read nothing else this weekend, make sure you’re still in the know with MassDevice +7.
7. Medical device tax: Will Dems pledge allegiance to repeal?
With a U.S. House of Representatives vote expected this week on a bill to repeal ObamaCare’s medical device, will the measure manage to garner much support from more conservative, "Blue Dog" Democrats?
6. Podcast: Rep. Owens on repealing the med-tech tax
Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.), an avid supporter of the Affordable Care Act, tells MassDevice.com why he decided this month to co-sponsor Rep. Erik Paulsen’s (R-Minn.) medical device tax repeal bill.
5. Inside the House Ways & Means markup meeting
Cook Group federal affairs vice president Allison Giles gives MassDevice.com the inside scoop from her attendance at the House Ways & Means Committee meeting where lawmakers voted to pass the medical device tax repeal bill to the House floor for a vote.
4. Morgan Stanley: “Device tax likely won’t be repealed on this attempt”
Morgan Stanley analysts are slightly more confident this month that the medical device tax might be repealed, but they don’t see it happening this year.
3. Repeal efforts claim another Democrat, nay-sayers cry foul
Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) joins a small, but growing, cadre of Democrats who have opposed the 2.3% levy on medical device sales, over the warnings of a left-of-center think tank that anti-tax lobbying efforts are based on "misinformation and exaggerated claims."
2. NBA legend Bill Walton leads med-tech delegation to Capitol Hill
The medical device industry unleashes one of its best weapons on the congress: Patients.
1. House Ways & Means OKs repeal bill
The U.S. House of Representatives’ powerful Ways & Means Committee affirms the medical device tax repeal bill on a 23-11 vote.