Editor’s note: HIDA was proud to work with AdvaMed to co-lead a letter – signed by 10 healthcare organizations across the continuum of care – to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about the need to protect patients from product shortages that could be caused by recent developments in tariff policy.
April 1, 2025
U.S. Trade Representative
600 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Dear Ambassador Greer,
On behalf of the undersigned health care organizations, we write in support of the administration’s focus to make America healthy again and to express our concern about the impact of tariffs on medical and dental supplies, equipment, and devices. These products are lifesaving, life-sustaining, and help deliver the timely care Americans need.
The U.S. health care system and its providers rely on having safe and cost-effective access to a broad spectrum of medical and dental devices and supplies, whether they are used in routine medical care or in emergency settings.
Given the important role of our work in making America healthy, we are concerned that tariffs placed on medical and dental equipment threaten to disrupt the supply chain and raise costs for these critical items. This ultimately places further financial pressure on providers, hospitals, and health systems, particularly those located in rural and medically underserved areas. According to the American Hospital Association, 136 rural hospitals closed between 2010 and 2021, and a recent study by the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform found that 700 more hospitals are at risk of closure.
We are also concerned that increased costs on medical and dental supplies could impede our ability to improve treatment outcomes, foster innovation, and meet the growing needs of pediatric and adult populations. This could result in longer wait times, reduced access to necessary treatments, and greater financial strain on health care systems that are already under pressure.
Since the tariffs were announced, other health care stakeholders have weighed in expressing concerns on consumer access, drug and product shortages, and medication price increases. A recent study from Black Book Market Research found that of the 200 industry professionals surveyed, 80 percent expected costs for hospitals and health systems to increase by at least 15 percent in the next six months due to increased import costs.
We look forward to working with the Trump administration and other agencies to advance policies that improve the health outcomes of Americans. We respectfully request that medical and dental supplies, equipment, and devices are made exempt from tariffs to prevent further escalation of health care costs and ensure patient accessibility to these products.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We are available for further discussion and look forward to working together to address these critical concerns.
Sincerely,
AdvaMed
Health Industry Distributors Association
American Association for Homecare
American Dental Association
America’s Essential Hospitals
Association of American Medical
Colleges (AAMC)
Conquering CHD
Preeclampsia Foundation
Prevent Cancer
Sepsis Alliance