Medical Device Industry Could Be Hit Hard By Potential China Tariffs
A growing number of products, as well as their components, are now manufactured in China. One report estimated that if the proposed 25 percent tariffs took effect, the move could cost the medical device industry up to $1.5 billion each year.
The New York Times:
Why Trump’s Tariffs Could Raise The Cost Of A Hip Replacement
Pacemakers and artificial joints. Defibrillators. Dental fillings. Birth-control pills and vaccines. All are made in China, and all could be subject to new tariffs. Dozens of drugs and medical devices are among the Chinese products and ingredients that the Trump administration targeted for a potential 25 percent tariff in a proposal this week. The list includes some products that are in dangerously short supply, like epinephrine, used to treat allergic reactions, and others, like insulin, whose rising prices have driven public outrage in the United States. (Kaplan and Thomas, 4/6)
In other news from the administration —
The Hill:
Trump Taps New Director For Office On Medicare Reforms
The Trump administration on Friday announced a new director for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), an office that could be at the center of efforts to shake up and reform the health system. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma told staff in an email that Adam Boehler, the former CEO of Landmark Health, a home-based medical care company, will start as the director of the office next week. (Sullivan, 4/6)
