U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) called for a "breakthrough" in the medical device industry during a recent tour of Memphis, Tennessee-based medical device company Smith & Nephew.
To pave the way for that breakthrough, he is co-sponsoring the Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015, and the Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act.
“We hear a lot about the negative effects of the medical device tax, but what I’m hearing more from the medical device community is about the negative effects of regulatory burdens on doctors and patients,” Alexander, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said.
The Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015 would give Medicare beneficiaries coverage for disposable durable medical equipment, which in turn would give them access to new breakthroughs in medical devices.
The Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act would repeal the 2.3 percent excise tax on medical device manufacturers.
Both measures would benefit Alexander's home state, where medical devices are one of the most important exports. For instance, in Memphis, medical devices are the top export of the region, accounting for $3.2 billion of the region's $11.3 billion in exports, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development said.
"The Memphis area and the state of Tennessee are at the forefront of this technology that is so crucial to improving Americans’ health and quality of life," Alexander said.
