While Mitch McConnell and John Boehner are talking tough about the major Obamacare repeal votes they'll be taking—votes that they say are intended to help working class America—they'll more likely start with the low-hanging fruit that won't really make much of a difference to any regular joe. But it will make a difference to the medical device manufacturers, who have been complaining loudly that they are expected to have a tiny bit of skin in the health insurance reform game since the law passed. So of course repealing the medical device tax is a top priority for Republicans, helped by the fact that some Democrats want it gone, too.
The tax is relatively minuscule, applied to devices like pacemakers and artificial joints—not to the kinds of things millions and millions of people use like glasses and hearing aids or things people buy directly in retail settings. It's things doctors and hospitals purchase in caring for patients. A small percentage of that added tax—2.3 percent that medical device manufacturers tack on to items sold to providers—will end up being passed on to the patient, but most analysts think that cost to consumers (and to the insurance companies helping to foot the bill) will be nearly negligible. The tax will provide $29 billion in revenue over the next decade, according to CBO estimates, that will help do what the law was always intended to do, make insurance affordable for people.
But that relatively small revenue contribution makes it an attractive target for repeal, and that includes for Democratic Sens. Al Franken, Amy Klobuchar, and Elizabeth Warren who have device manufacturers in their states. That's what makes it attractive to Republicans—they can argue that they're repealing something, anything to their base, and pretend that they're being bipartisan, something the Very Serious People will always fall for. Which is probably the single best argument for Franken, Klobuchar, and Warren to stop supporting this repeal, along with the handful of other Democrats in the House and Senate who've played along.
For now, the White House has insisted they would not accept repealing it. It hasn't come to a test, because currently Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has refused to get it to the floor. House Republicans insisted on its repeal, along with a one-year delay in Obamacare implementation, in their ill-fated government shutdown demands last year (again, thinking they had bipartisanship on their side).
first I don't think it's obstruction if it's a lopsided bill that does not support the masses but benefit the business world already making a killing, that is a republican POV and as usual has their agenda infused. they have never offered a deal that did not advantage big business and we now nothing has changed except that word "PRINCIPLES" formerly know as "VALUES" everything is as it was they just changed the way they deceive. good point about those EMS who have medical device manufacturers in their states voting in favor of repealing that part but who are the serving at that point do their constituents profit from medical device the manufacturers would have to lower their price, distributors too and retail merchants at the end. that's a lot of people that would have to be in sync when they are in business to make money and historically have been ripping us off at the cash register.
this is time for those two thirds who are benefiting from ObamaCares and those of us who voted to make some noise if we don't they will piecemeal the law and your Affordable health care out of existence, those who could not stand and be counted should lead the effort or at least open their mouths.
