US to cut medical tax in healthcare reform law

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to axe a 2.3 percent tax on medical devices along with other parts of President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law. The Republican-controlled House received support from over 36 Democrats to repeal the provisions, including the device tax that the health industry has fiercely fought against, in a 270 to 146 vote. The legislation, which was discussed yesterday, will likely be stopped in the Democratically-controlled Senate, and the Obama administration said it would veto the bill, arguing that the industry will benefit from healthcare reform as a whole. The law aims to provide health insurance to tens of millions of Americans.