Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) has taken to the newspapers, but instead of crying “Extra! Extra!” sounds the call of “Too much is enough.”
Unsurprisingly, Coats, who opposes Obamacare (he’s the guy who introduced a bill to defund the program if it doesn’t meet its deadline), has been a large proponent for the repeal of the medical device tax.
In a Ft. Wayne News-Sentinel oped, Sen. Coats reiterates the importance of the medical device industry’s financial health to the state:
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“Given the importance of the medical device industry to Indiana, the country and the patients it serves, Congress must repeal this damaging tax that unfairly punishes a successful industry providing employment to thousands of Hoosiers and Americans.”
But it’s not just those who would see Obamacare crumble who have come out against the tax. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) broke with the party line and joined Sen. Coats to vote for that nonbinding repeal back in March. Politicians from Indiana, a state that has more than 300 medical device companies, according to Coats, and only about 6.5 million residents, have been vocal about repealing the tax.
In the oped, Coats makes sure to mention Bloomington, Ind.-based COOK Medical, which has been outspoken in its efforts to have the tax repealed. He also takes a bit of a cheap shot, somewhat unfairly implying all who might oppose the repeal value politics over helping children in wheelchairs. (Although helping children with pre-existing conditions somehow doesn’t factor in to a total repeal of Obamacare. Oh, that slippery slope.)
But all in all, this opinion piece echoes what’s been being said for months. More importantly, is it a serious step toward actual action and legislation? What do you think?
