Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bill To Repeal Health Law's Medical Device Tax Passes House, But Senate Unlikely To Take It Up This Year
The Wall Street Journal: House Votes To Repeal Tax On Medical Devices
The House voted Tuesday to repeal a 2.3% excise tax on medical devices, again showing bipartisan support for eliminating the levy. Congress created the tax in the 2010 Affordable Care Act to help pay for expanding health insurance, but medical-device companies and their home-state allies in both parties have been fighting against it ever since. (Rubin and Andrews, 7/24)
The Hill: House Votes To Repeal ObamaCare Medical Device Tax
The vote comes during a week of health-care measures put forward by the GOP as they try to blunt Democratic attacks over rising premiums, a key midterm message. The vote could help Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), the sponsor of the bill, who faces a tough reelection fight this year. “This bill reverses a harmful tax that is hurting job growth and innovation across the country,” Paulsen said. (Sullivan, 7/24)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
The Associated Press: GOP, Dems Focus On Messages As Summer Recess, Elections Near
One House bill, backed mostly by Republicans, would repeal a tax imposed on some medical devices to help pay for President Barack Obama's health care law, a statute they despise. With another, still a bare-bones outline, the GOP would make last year's $1.5 trillion tax cut permanent and expand reductions for families, homeschooling and businesses. (Fram, 7/25)
CQ: Defense, Health Spending Bill Could Hit Senate Floor Next Week
Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., said Tuesday he now expects the chamber to wrap up a four-bill spending package in time for the Senate to take up a massive Defense and Labor-HHS-Education measure as soon as next week. The Senate is currently debating a $154.2 billion combination spending bill (HR 6147) that is expected to carry the text of not only the underlying Interior-Environment and Financial Services measures, but also the Agriculture and Transportation-HUD bills contained in substitute amendment Shelby has introduced. (Shutt, 7/24)
