Delays for the medical device and health insurance taxes are set to end Jan. 1, and many healthcare advocacy groups are pressing legislators to stall their re-implementations any way they can, according to The Hill.
The 2.3 percent tax on medical devices would be a hindrance on innovation and job creation, the groups argue. Greg Crist, executive vice president for public affairs for medical device trade group AdvaMed, said his organization is looking for a full repeal of the tax in a year-end funding bill but would accept another delay.
"We feel we're very much in play and that is for full repeal," Mr. Crist said, according to The Hill. "We're talking with staff and leadership for the right vehicle."
Repeals of the medical device and health insurance taxes have garnered bipartisan support, and advocates for a repeal of the health insurance tax argue it would only increase premiums.
"We've been incredibly encouraged by the bipartisan response to [health insurance tax] relief, and urge Congress to take immediate steps to extend the [health insurance tax] suspension and delay before the tax hits small businesses and their employees in 2018," said Elena Tompkins, executive director of Stop the HIT, a coalition of business groups working to repeal the tax, according to The Hill.