Please contact your congressional leaders today and request that they exclude hearing aids from the health care reform medical device tax. It has been reported that congressional leadership is headed toward favoring an exemption on devices purchased at the retail level, leaving hearing aids subject to a 2.5% device tax.
Congress is currently negotiating specific concerns raised by House members related to the financing of the Senate passed health care reform proposal. One of the issues under consideration is the tax on medical devices. The Senate version excludes medical devices, such as hearing aids, from the tax based on their FDA classification. Class 1 devices, including hearing aids, are exempt along with Class 1 devices that retail for under $100. The current House version of the device tax would encompass the purchase of hearing aids.
For additional information, please contact Ingrida Lusis, ASHA's Director of Federal and Political Advocacy, at ilusis@asha.org.