New Romney Commercial Hits Obamacare's Senior Tax

Among the reasons our seniors are suspicious of Obamacare is the "medical device tax" which is nothing more than a de facto tax on senior citizens. This taxes the manufacturers of medical devices and "replacement" parts mostly used by Seniors including Pacemakers, Hip joint replacements, Powered wheelchairs, Hearing aids, and Prosthetic heart valve rotators just to name a few.  While it is the manufacturers paying the tax (as opposed to the end consumer) it is certain those higher costs will be passed on to consumers.

Mitt Romney released a new commercial this morning that expands his attack on Obamacare from its stealing of funds from medicare, to the mandate fee (now designated at tax by Chief Justice Roberts), and the tax on medical devices, AKA the Senior Tax.

AD FACTS: Script For “Nothing’s Free”:

VOICEOVER: “Some think Obamacare is the same as free healthcare.”

VIDEO TEXT: “Obamacare”

VIDEO TEXT: “Free Healthcare”

VOICEOVER: “But nothing is free.”

VOICEOVER: “Obama is raiding $716 billion from Medicare, changing the program forever.”

VIDEO TEXT: “Obama Is Raiding $716 Billion From Medicare”

According To The Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Obamacare Cuts $716 Billion From Medicare.(Congressional Budget Office, Letter To Speaker John Boehner, 7/24/12)

VOICEOVER: “Taxing wheelchairs and pacemakers.”

VIDEO TEXT: “Taxing Wheelchairs And Pacemakers”

Medical-Device Companies – Which Make Wheelchairs And Pacemakers – Were Hit With A Tax As A Part Of Obamacare. “The industry that makes wheelchairs, pacemakers and other medical devices has launched a lobbying blitz to kill a tax on its products proposed in a health care bill moving through the Senate. The $40 billion, 10-year tax is one of several new fees included in the Senate Finance Committee's health care legislation. It has drawn significant opposition from Democrats — many of whom have large medical device makers in their states.” (USA Today, 10/2/09)


VOICEOVER: “Raising taxes on families making less than one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.”

VIDEO TEXT: “Higher Taxes $120,000 Or Less”

In 2016, 3 Million Americans – Who Live In Families That Earn Up To $120,000 Per Year – Will Be Subjected To The Individual Mandate Tax In Obamacare. (Congressional Budget Office, 12/2010)

VOICEOVER: “Free healthcare comes at a very high price.”

VIDEO TEXT: “Free Healthcare Comes At A Very High Price”

VOICEOVER: “The Romney-Ryan plan will restore Medicare funding and protect and
strengthen the program for the next generation.”

VIDEO TEXT: “Romney-Ryan Plan”

VIDEO TEXT: “Protect Medicare”

MITT ROMNEY: “I’m Mitt Romney, and I approve this message.”

The commercial is embedded below. If you are on the mailing list or cannot see the ad, please click here to view it.

I suppose the president's team will cry foul on this spot as it did with the $716 Billion from Medicare. They will insist that they are only taxing the manufacturer the same way the said the $716 Billion was just a reduction in their payments to medical providers.  They are playing a semantic game that Americans will see through.  These reduction of payments and taxes on manufacturers will end up as higher fees on the seniors who can least afford to pay.