Affordable Care Act: Impacting America’s Leadership? At the Medical Device Conference 2012(MedCon), held at Xavier University, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kem Hawkins, President and CEO of Cook Incorporated and Cook Medical, delivered a powerful keynote address. In his speech, Hawkins proposed that FDA has not demonstrated the leadership necessary for the United States to maintain its position as global forerunner in the healthcare arena. Hawkins also touched on his opposition to the medical device tax included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) (colloquially known to many as Obamacare) was signed into law last year. However, many Americans are still trying to grasp what this reform means to them.

There continues to be rumblings about the medical device tax from the industry.  This article in MassDevice talks about concerns over the hidden cost associated with the legislation.  With less than 9 months until the 2.3% sales tax becomes a reality many in the industry are coming to realize that the levy may, in fact, be even more expensive than initial projections indicated.