WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), today approved the bipartisan Medicare Decisions Accountability Act, H.R. 452, to repeal the controversial Independent Payment Advisory Board. IPAB was created by the health care law and has drawn widespread bipartisan opposition because it threatens to reduce seniors’ access to treatments and services in Medicare. The bill was approved by a vote of 17 to 5.
“IPAB is the exact opposite of transparency and accountability," said Pitts. “It is merely another example of valuing centralized decision-making by government appointed experts over judgments that should be made between a doctor and patient. I am pleased that H.R. 452 has a bipartisan group of cosponsors, including members of the full committee from both sides."
According to an independent board of trustees, the Medicare trust fund will be bankrupt by 2024. In addition to cutting more than $575 billion from Medicare, the health care law implements a controversial board composed of 15 unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats to cut spending on health care treatments, giving them the power to refuse health care and reduce Medicare beneficiaries’ access to care. The administration has not nominated any members to the board in the two years since the board became law. In the absence of a board, sole power of the board will be given to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Medicare Decisions Accountability repeals IPAB and restores decision-making power to patients and doctors.
