The American Association of Neurological Surgeons supports the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance's hearing on the impact of the medical device tax on jobs, innovation and patients.
"Our healthcare system needs innovation to improve patient care and save lives," said CNS president Nathan R. Selden, MD. "Instead, this tax stifles innovation and reduces patient access to new lifesaving technologies."
Here are five things to know:
1. The hearing is another step toward repealing the medical device excise tax.
2. The tax imposes more than $30 billion in new taxes and has an adverse impact on medical innovation and patient care.
3. Repealing the device tax is at the top of the priorities list for neurosurgery, according to AANS President Robert E. Harbaugh, MD.
4. There is bipartisan effort to repeal the tax.
5. The Advanced Medical Technology Association published a report that as many as 195,000 jobs could be lost due to the tax.
AANS and CNS endorse the "Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act" and the "Protect Medical Innovation Act."