Bipartisan effort to repeal ACA ‘Cadillac Tax’ gains steam
In a recent analysis, the Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that 21 percent of employers offering health benefits will have at least one plan which applies for the tax.
House reaches deal on more than $1T spending bill and 2-year medical device tax pause
House leadership approved a two-year suspension of the medical device tax and the Cadillac tax on high-cost insurance plans.
Behavioral Health, Interoperability and eConsent: Meeting the Demands of CMS Final Rule Compliance
In a webinar on April 16 at 1pm ET, Aneesh Chopra will moderate a discussion with executives from DocuSign, Velatura, and behavioral health providers on eConsent, health information exchange and compliance with the CMS Final Rule on interoperability.
Morning Read: IBM Watson & Novo Nordisk building ‘virtual doctor’
Also, the diagnostics industry fights back against FDA scrutiny, a new health tech incubator launches in San Diego and we're getting closer to a halt on the medical device tax.
The Senate votes to get rid of the medical device tax
Republicans aren't taking no for an answer when it comes to repealing the medical device tax.
The medical device tax could be repealed by the end of the year, Rep. Erik Paulsen says
Minnesota Congressman Erik Paulsen projects a bill repealing the medical device tax will be passed – soon. “I think we’re going to see that get across the finish line at some point this year,” he said, speaking at this week’s MedTech Investor Conference in Minneapolis. Paulsen said a Ways and Means committee has been scheduled for June 2 to figure […]
The Hill thinks it’s still unlikely Obama will get behind a medical device tax repeal
We might get Congress behind a medical device tax repeal, but the President? Less likely, according to The Hill, which compiled a list of important legislation that’ll be put forth this year to get a sign off from President Obama. Ranking sixth of eighth? The medical device tax – meaning that despite all the ballyhooing around the levy, it’s still pretty […]
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
The economics behind the medical device tax: Pros and cons
There’s been a heightened level of chatter surrounding the medical device tax thanks, largely, to the recent GOP-heavy outcome of the recent races. It’s worth taking a look at the Congressional Research Service‘s economic analysis of the tax, whic provides a pretty transparent look at how the tax is playing out. The folks over at the […]
GOP-heavy Senate could mean a repeal of the medical device tax
Those itching for a medical device tax repeal are finding hope from the GOP-heavy Senate, and its newly reelected Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. Republicans will likely focus their energy on dismantling the 2.3 percent tax on device revenues, according to the Washington Post WonkBlog: Republicans won’t be able to dismantle President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, but they are likely […]
The sky IS falling for medical devices. But is that a disaster or a rainmaker?
Understatement of the week: There’s a bit of a clash of opinion when it comes to the medical device tax at the AdvaMed 2014 conference this week in Chicago. Namely, the trade group’s staunchly clinging to the opinion that it’s pretty much a disaster. But other sources at the conference, including the folks over EvaluateMedTech who released a […]
Medical devices get both thumbs up and thumbs down at investing conference
GE Healthcare Services and Mayo Clinic Ventures had opposite opinions on the prospects for medical devices startups at the MidAmerica Healthcare Venture forum this week in Chicago.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Does medical device price gouging really contribute to wide variation in hospital charges?
New data shows medical devices are probably not the problem in the wide variation of Medicare hospital charges for similar admissions, according to AdvaMed. The charges were actually lower for “device intensive” procedures — which showed a 59 percent fluctuation between charges from hospital to hospital — than “non-device intensive” procedures, which showed a 79 […]
Race for resolution: House plan would delay medical device excise tax to end shutdown, Senate plan would ignore it
In the snail race to end the government shutdown, House Republicans have proposed a new bill, which among other things, would delay the medical device excise tax for two years. The current proposal in the Senate doesn’t mention amending, much less repealing, the medical device excise tax. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) told the Washington Post […]
WaPo on why medical device excise tax is ‘weak’
Armed with a map and stats from John Eckberg, Cook Medical media relations director, the Washington Post’s Wonk Blog editor Ezra Klein makes a convincing argument for why the medical device excise tax repeal effort is so “compelling.” Here are Klein’s reasons why the medical device excise tax is “weak”: The lobbyists helped [with the […]
Not in the stars: Probably no medical device excise tax repeal this time around
Medical device tax repeal not included in budget deal, Aide says to Bloomberg $BSX, $CFN, $MDT, $SYK — Sasha Damouni (@SashaDamouni) October 14, 2013 Bloomberg healthcare reporter Sasha Damouni has tweeted an aide told the magazine the medical device tax repeal is not included in the budget deal. Despite the intensive efforts of the medical […]
The latest medical device excise tax opponents: Puppies?
The 2.3 percent medical device excise tax that’s been in Washington’s crosshairs the past few weeks is adding up to expensive veterinary bills, NPR reports. Because many devices used on animals are human medical devices, the tax gets passed on to veterinarians and then on to pet owners. If the devices aren’t labeled specifically for […]