Conservative Groups Ask Congress to Block Return of Medical Device Tax

Congress should permanently wipe out the suspended Affordable Care Act tax on medical devices scheduled to resume Jan. 1, a coalition of conservative groups said in a letter to House and Senate leaders.

The letter, signed by the representatives of 36 groups, led by anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform, said the tax impairs the industry’s ability to “innovate, invest, and create jobs.”

The tax applies to medical devices such as X-ray equipment, MRI machines, surgical instruments and pacemakers, but not to products such as eyeglasses, hearing aids and wheelchairs typically retailed to individual consumers.