|
| A press conference was held Friday afternoon at Grace College’s Orthopaedic Capital Center, Winona Lake, to discuss the ‘Baucus Bill’. Pictured (L to R) are Robert Durgin, senior vice president of quality, regulatory, and clinical affairs at Biomet, and US Congressman Mark Souder. Photo by Gary Nieter, Times-Union. |
|
Souder Warns Against Baucus Bill
Jennifer Peryam
Times-Union Staff Writer
WINONA LAKE - US Congressman Mark Souder Friday spoke in Winona Lake in opposition to a proposed health care plan that would tax orthopaedic companies.
Souder held a press conference at the Orthopaedic Capital Center on the Grace College Campus to discuss the proposed Baucus Health Care Reform Plan. Local orthopaedic officials also voiced their concerns with the plan.
U.S. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, released his health care proposal Wednesday morning.
Under Baucus's proposal, makers of medical devices would be taxed $4 billion a year as an industry. Each company's payout would be based on their share of the market.
With Zimmer, Biomet and DePuy's world headquarters in Warsaw, Souder said the bill would be detrimental to the orthopaedic industry.
"We are now in a fight for our lives as to whether we will keep that orthopaedic business cluster in Indiana and in Warsaw," Souder said.
He said, according to the bill, a tax of 10 to 30 percent of profits will severely damage Indiana's ability to hold its orthopaedic cluster.
"If Congress drives a big stake through the heart of the orthopaedics industry, we are in big trouble," Souder said.
Souder encouraged Hoosiers to join with the governor, senators and congressional delegation to oppose the bill.
Both Indiana Senators Evan Bayh and Dick Lugar have come out publicly to oppose the tax.
"I think if members of Congress and senators educate the people in their district what effect the tax has, I think we can stop this bill," Souder said. "We need to delve loud, hard, and fast so this issue doesn't become a steam roller."
Robert Durgin, senior vice president of quality, regulatory, and clinical affairs for Biomet, spoke about how the bill would tax innovation. Durgin also is the president of Indiana Device Manufacturers Council and spoke on behalf of the council.
"Essentially, the bill is a tax on innovation and would significantly affect the ability of our companies to fund research and development," Durgin said.
Brian Emerick, president and CEO of Micropulse Inc., Columbia City, spoke about how the bill would affect its orthopaedic manufacturing products.
"We are also concerned this legislation might hamper innovation. Many times people think of innovation as adding more costs to the health care system, but the reality is most of our companies that are innovating are cutting costs," Emerick said.
|
John Halverson, business unit manager for C & A Tool, Churubusco, said the tax would have a large negative impact on the business that is a contract manufacturer for the medical industry.
"If we are not on top of innovation. It will be shipped overseas, and we need to stay ahead of the curve," Halverson said.
|
.jpg)
