An update from the Dental Trade Alliance on the proposed rule for medical device tax

I recently received the following e-mail from Gary Price of the Dental Trade Alliance with an update on the proposed medical device tax that could affect the dental industry...

Dear Colleague:

Last evening (June 7), Rep. Erik Paulsen’s (MN-03) Healthcare Costs Reduction Act passed on the floor of the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 270 to 146 with 37 Democrats voting for the bill. The bill would repeal a new $29 billion tax on American medical device companies. Paulsen pointed out that unless the tax is stopped it will cost jobs and reduce patient access to the latest life-improving and life-saving technologies. Successfully passing this legislation was the result of Rep. Paulsen’s concentrated efforts to collaborate and work with patients, doctors, businesses small and large, and manufacturers to find the best way to preserve American jobs and innovation.

Rep. Paulsen said, “The House has taken a stand for American leadership in medical device innovation and the nearly half million U.S. jobs it supports. This new ill-conceived tax would force many of our nation’s bright medical technology innovators to lay off workers, move jobs overseas, or worse yet, close their doors altogether. With today’s vote, we show the nation what we can accomplish when we put progress before partisanship. I appreciate the support from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and look forward to action in the Senate on this vital bill for American jobs.”

The bill will likely not be considered by the Senate during this session of Congress, though the issue may be raised during a lame duck session should that occur after the election this fall.

The roll call vote can be found online http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll361.xml.

We will provide more information about the progress on repealing the law as we learn more about efforts to stop the medical device tax. Continue to check www.dentaltradealliance.org for more updates.


Gary W. Price
President and Chief Executive Officer
Dental Trade Alliance
4350 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 220
Arlington, VA 22203
703-379-7755