Tariffs: AAH joins letter, F&P expects impact

WASHINGTON – AAHomecare is among 10 health care groups asking the administration to exempt medical and dental supplies, equipment and devices from tariffs in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. 

The letter was sent April 1, one day before President Donald Trump imposed numerous new tariffs, including a 10% base tariff on imports from all countries. 

The letter emphasizes the potential for tariffs to raise costs and impact supply chains – ultimately adding to the financial pressures on providers, hospitals and health systems, particularly those located in rural and medically underserved areas, the group says. 

“AAHomecare continues to work with other medical equipment manufacturers to exempt HME and other medical devices/products from these tariffs,” the association stated in a bulletin. 

Greer will give testimony during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the president’s trade policy agenda on April 8.  

• Watch the hearing here. 

• Read the letter here. 

In light of a new 10% tariff on imports from New Zealand, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare said it will give an update on its outlook for the 2026 financial year, as well as updated estimate of the timeframe to return to its gross margin target, when it provides full-year results in late May. 

The company currently manufactures about 55% of its volume in New Zealand and supports about 40% of its U.S. volume from the country. 

In the first half of the 2025 financial year, about 43% of F&P’s revenue came from the U.S. 

“For the 2026 financial year, the company’s costs would likely increase due to the new tariffs, acknowledging the economic environment, global response to US tariffs and foreign currency movements may be fluid over this period,” the company stated. 

F&P also manufacturers about 45% of its volume in Mexico and supports 60% of its U.S. volume from the country. But the company says almost all of its products imported into the U.S. from Mexico are currently compliant with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, making them exepct from a 25% tariff.