ObamaCare Blamed for Increasing Pet Care Costs

ANCHOR You may want ░░░░░░░░ save more money for ░░░░░░░░ care this year Eliott ░░░░░░░░ reports the reason goes ░░░░░░░░ the way to Washington ░░░░░░░░ Dog owner Lori Hosselman ░░░░░░░░ surprised when her veterinarian ░░░░░░░░ a warning on Facebook ░░░░░░░░ said Because medical equipment ░░░░░░░░ supplies will be going ░░░░░░░░ in cost that extra ░░░░░░░░ will have to passed ░░░░░░░░ to the customers So ░░░░░░░░ will be tightening her ░░░░░░░░ to pay for increase ░░░░░░░░ her dog s care ░░░░░░░░ They are very important ░░░░░░░░ are members of the ░░░░░░░░ Rodriguez Why the price ░░░░░░░░ It s part of ░░░░░░░░ new 2 3 federal ░░░░░░░░ Tax on certain medical ░░░░░░░░ that just went into ░░░░░░░░ The fund will help ░░░░░░░░ fund the Patient Protection ░░░░░░░░ Affordable Care Act most ░░░░░░░░ known as ObamaCare intended ░░░░░░░░ people not pets Manufacturers ░░░░░░░░ the tax but a ░░░░░░░░ survey found more than ░░░░░░░░ plan to pass it ░░░░░░░░ HATCHER I m extremely ░░░░░░░░ how this is going ░░░░░░░░ be a hidden tax ░░░░░░░░ our consumers that is ░░░░░░░░ to be passed on ░░░░░░░░ Medical devices used only ░░░░░░░░ animals are exempt But ░░░░░░░░ like I V pumps ░░░░░░░░ scalpels and anesthesia equipment ░░░░░░░░ are medical devices which ░░░░░░░░ dual use that can ░░░░░░░░ used on people and ░░░░░░░░ will be taxed Veterinarian ░░░░░░░░ Hatcher says higher prices ░░░░░░░░ have animal owners holding ░░░░░░░░ on medical care and ░░░░░░░░ postponing the purchase of ░░░░░░░░ medical devices HATCHER Putting ░░░░░░░░ equipment purchase is something ░░░░░░░░ can terribly affect our ░░░░░░░░ ability to have quality ░░░░░░░░ Rodriguez The American Veterinary ░░░░░░░░ Association represents 82 000 ░░░░░░░░ At this point they ░░░░░░░░ t know how much ░░░░░░░░ indirect tax will cost ░░░░░░░░ they are waiting to ░░░░░░░░ from device makers LUTSCHAUNIG ░░░░░░░░ never intended this tax ░░░░░░░░ impact veterinary medicine And ░░░░░░░░ has I think it ░░░░░░░░ unfortunate that veterinary medicine ░░░░░░░░ subsidizing human health care ░░░░░░░░ Congressional sources who worked ░░░░░░░░ the Affordable Care Act ░░░░░░░░ us lawmakers tried to ░░░░░░░░ vets from the impact ░░░░░░░░ the dual use medical ░░░░░░░░ tax but it was ░░░░░░░░ complicated Carol Smock founded ░░░░░░░░ charity that helped struggling ░░░░░░░░ owners pay for health ░░░░░░░░ She s concerned her ░░░░░░░░ is going to be ░░░░░░░░ with requests SMOCK The ░░░░░░░░ of price increase is ░░░░░░░░ to have on any ░░░░░░░░ these families I think ░░░░░░░░ be pretty devastating Rodriguez ░░░░░░░░ says she is worried ░░░░░░░░ other families too but ░░░░░░░░ ll find the money ░░░░░░░░ her four legged friends ░░░░░░░░ We re just going ░░░░░░░░ have to plan to ░░░░░░░░ somewhere else Rodriguez So ░░░░░░░░ there has been no ░░░░░░░░ from the White House ░░░░░░░░ the new taxes that ░░░░░░░░ impact vets and pet ░░░░░░░░ they say if your ░░░░░░░░ is sick or acting ░░░░░░░░ do not delay care ░░░░░░░░ could just cause medical ░░░░░░░░ to get worse And ░░░░░░░░ you re concerned with ░░░░░░░░ cost of your vet ░░░░░░░░ ensure to talk to ░░░░░░░░ vet about payment plans ░░░░░░░░ other financial options.”