CEO DATELINE - AdvaMed, NRF throw support behind Obamacare replacement
CEO DATELINE - AdvaMed, NRF throw support behind Obamacare replacement
- March 13, 2017 |
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Walt Williams
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Two groups representing medical device manufacturers and retailers have endorsed a House Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act.
The Advanced Medical Device Association and National Retail Federation both announced their support for the plan in recent days, although for different reasons. The endorsements make both outliers among associations, with most groups either remaining silent on the legislation or actively opposing it.
AdvaMed supports the GOP's American Health Care Act primarily because the legislation would eliminate a tax on medical devices imposed by ACA, also known as "Obamacare." Repeal of the tax has been the association's top legislative priority since ACA was signed into law in 2010.
"Repealing the tax will provide medical technology innovators with the long-term certainty necessary to support future job growth and sustainable, cutting-edge R&D that will ultimately lead to the next generation of breakthroughs in patient care and treatment," AdvaMed CEO Scott Whitaker said. http://bit.ly/2nlAHtj
NRF supports the Republican plan because the legislation moves the country toward a more competition-driven private health care market, Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French said. The GOP plan does not eliminate the so-called "Cadillac tax" on the most expensive employer-sponsored plans, but NRF plans push for a repeal of the tax.
"We will work with Congress to repeal all threats to employer-based coverage, including the so-called Cadillac tax on health benefits," French said. http://bit.ly/2nlDx15
Many businesses groups that have been critical of Obamacare in the past—such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Business Roundtable—have remained silent about the Republican replacement. The same cannot be said for most health care industry groups, which have condemned the legislation. The American Medical Association, American Hospital Association and American Nurses Association have all blasted the replacement plan.
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