The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) has launched Medical Device Tax Watch, a website dedicated to raising awareness of the efforts of some medical device manufacturers to pass the costs of the new medical device excise tax to hospitals, healthcare providers, patients, and taxpayers.
The site will be a resource for hospitals to monitor the device marketplace, according to the organization.
Hospitals have committed $155 billion for the next 10 years to help fund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Hospitals are now reporting that some suppliers and manufacturers are billing hospitals directly to cover the costs associated with the medical device tax.
Beginning in January, a 2.3% excise tax was imposed on sales of "taxable medical devices" by manufacturers and importers. The HSCA, the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals and the Catholic Health Association have asked the Internal Revenue Service not to allow medical device manufacturers to pass on the tax to hospitals.
