Tyler , TX (KETK) — Since Obamacare has passed day by day it's being implemented.

The price of some medical procedures are going up.

But, because of the controversial law your pet's medical bills may also be going up.

According to studies, pet owners nationwide already spend 12 billion dollars on veterinary care every year. 

Now, they may be spending a lot more.

Pet owners like Joe Martin and Shirley Ayars consider their dogs as part of the family.

But, Martin's dog has one eye and Ayars is hitting 13.

With age and health problems, vet bills are already through the roof.  

With the Affordable Care Act, some pet owners are seeing pet care as not to affordable.

"You know you start incurring all these costs, and I have a big dog and a bag of dog food costs 50 bucks. Anything more I got to pay it's painful." said Martin
 

"It's going to affect us a lot. We are on fixed income and we can only spend so much." said Ayars.

According to the Heritage Foundation, a new IRS rule states that a 2.3% device tax will apply to medical devices used by both physicians and vets, before they leave the manufacturer.

The tax applies to human devices only and not directly vet equipment.

But, many of those devices are made for dual use such as examination gloves, IV pumps and other supplies.

More than half of the medical device manufacturers, who have to apply the device tax, admit they will pass the increased cost onto their customers.

Their customers, which are vets and doctors, will then have to push that cost onto their clients and patients.

This means a more expensive vet bill for you.

Dr. Laura Cauthen owner of Animal Medical Center of Tyler says this new tax will affect both her privately owned business and her clients.

"Things that are more daily used and disposable that we are buying repeatedly, adding a fee to those things could be impactful."