Medical equipment sales have been "stalled" by worries over the so-called fiscal cliff, according to GE Healthcare's chief.
In an interview with Bloomberg News at RSNA 2012 in Chicago last week, GE Healthcare CEO John Dineen said the half a trillion dollars in tax hikes and spending cuts scheduled to take effect in January have put the brakes on equipment spending. (Hat tip: ImagingBiz.)
"It's impossible to make an investment if you're a hospital or hospital system, if you don't know what the financial rules are going to be," he told the magazine.
Bloomberg said GE's third-quarter sales fell 2 percent after inching up 1 percent in the previous quarter.
Earlier this month the Congressional Budget Office warned that failure to avert the $607 billion hit to the federal budget next year could trigger a recession and raise unemployment rates.
Perhaps he should talk to the "Jobs Czar", Jeffrey Immelt. His solution seemed to be moving x-ray systems production to China. Wonder how the WI employees felt about that. Fiscal Cliff, or not, he makes no mention of the ACA's 2.3% Medical Device Tax...wonder why? Does he think it doesn't impact buying decision, or that buyers won't realize it will be passed on to them in one way or another?
Ted Huss
Impact of "Fiscal Cliff" on GEMS Sales, etc.
December 06, 2012 11:14
Perhaps he should talk to the "Jobs Czar", Jeffrey Immelt. His solution seemed to be moving x-ray systems production to China. Wonder how the WI employees felt about that. Fiscal Cliff, or not, he makes no mention of the ACA's 2.3% Medical Device Tax...wonder why? Does he think it doesn't impact buying decision, or that buyers won't realize it will be passed on to them in one way or another?
to rate and post a comment