House Passes Medical Device Tax Repeal

The House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act’s 2.3% excise tax on medical devices. The measure will now go to the senate where it needs 60 votes to pass.[cite]House Votes to Repeal Tax on Medical Devices. WSJ.com.[/cite][cite]Votes against medical device taxes show irresponsibility has a broad constituency. Washingtonpost.com.[/cite]

The House vote was 283-to-132 vote with 57 “yeas” coming from the Democratic Party.

The device tax was originally passed along with the ACA with the idea in mind that industries who profited from the ACA should share a bit of the cost burden. However, the tax has been unpopular with people in certain circles in both parties (essentially all Republicans and then those from all parties impacted by the tax, such as those in districts with large device makers, industry, and investors).

The subject is somewhat complicated, especially considering the tax was postponed initially and then suspended from 2016 to 2019, but in terms of the Affordable Care Act alone stripping provisions out one by one (especially revenue provisions) puts a strain on the ACA and the national budget.

You can read more at the Washington Post’s Votes against medical device taxes show irresponsibility has a broad constituency.