House GOP unveils package to delay ObamaCare taxes

House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a package of bills to delay a range of ObamaCare taxes, which could be acted on later this month.

House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) led the announcement for the bills to delay ObamaCare’s tax on medical devices for five years, on health insurance for two years, and the “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health plans for one year. The package would also eliminate penalties for employers who do not offer health insurance to their workers, under the employer mandate, through 2018.

The bills are only supported by Republicans at the moment, but they come after bipartisan negotiations with Democrats on delaying the taxes, a move that has support on both sides of the aisle. The package could be attached as part of a bipartisan deal on a year-end government funding bill.

{mosads}The delay of these taxes would be a victory for industries, like medical device companies and health insurers, that have pushed against the taxes. Those groups are still pushing for full repeal eventually.

The delay of the taxes is not paid for in the bills introduced on Tuesday.

The Cadillac tax has been a particular sticking point, with Democrats leading the charge to delay it. Republicans on Tuesday agreed to delay it for one year.

“Obamacare’s failures are continuing to hurt families across the country – and allowing burdensome health care taxes to continue or go back into effect would make these problems even more severe,” Brady said in a statement.