I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will stand up for the wounded warriors,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R.-Utah), as he introduced his amendment, which exempted military personnel, veterans and their families from the the medical devices tax. “I hope they will stand up and realize that these folks should not be hammered with higher costs on medical devices. We owe them a debt of gratitude not more taxes.”

Terence P. Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief CNSNews.com

The Senate defeated three separate amendments offered to the health-care reconciliation bill on Wednesday night that would have abolished or limited the impact of a new tax on medical devices—including prosthetics, such as artificial limbs—that was enacted in the new health-care law President Barack Obama signed on Tuesday.

One of those bills would have completely repealed the new tax, another would have exempted those in veteran’s health programs and members of TRICARE (the government insurance plan for military personnel, veterans and their families) from its impact, and a third would have exempted children and the disabled, including disabled veterans.

“Let me tell you, I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will stand up for the wounded warriors,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R.-Utah), as he introduced his amendment, which exempted military personnel, veterans and their families from the the medical devices tax. “I hope they will stand up and realize that these folks should not be hammered with higher costs on medical devices. We owe them a debt of gratitude not more taxes.”

“Who are the folks who will bear the burden of this tax?” asked Sen. Pat Roberts (R.-Kan.), who sponsored the amendment that would have killed the tax entirely. “People with disabilities, diabetics, amputees, people with cancer, just to name some of the people—and more—who will see their costs go up because of this tax. We do not want to do this. Why would we want to do this on those who are most vulnerable?”

FULL STORY

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