“Taxpayers scored what could be a game-changing point in the fight to repeal Obamacare with today’s passage of H.R. 849, the ‘Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act of 2017,’ a bill to repeal the harmful Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) provision in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Representative Doctor David Roe (R-TN) and the House Energy and Commerce Committee deserve special thanks for championing this important issue.
House passage of this IPAB repeal measure is a big step toward ultimately eliminating the threat IPAB’s slash-and-burn approach to cost-savings would have posed to Medicare consumers. With limited tools at the disposal of unaccountable bureaucrats, consumers could have faced care rationing and longer wait times. Taxpayers would also have been shortchanged of options that could make a genuine difference in ensuring Medicare is on a solid financial footing.
NTU strongly urges the Senate to quickly take up and send this important legislation to the President’s desk for his signature. Securing IPAB repeal would be a major down-payment on the promise to repeal the disastrous ACA. In addition, Congress should redouble efforts to put Medicare and other costly entitlement programs on a sustainable trajectory through comprehensive, innovative reforms. Doing so sooner rather than later is the best way to secure savings in the years to come, avoiding painful health and economic disruptions.”
Nan Swift,
Federal Affairs Manager, National Taxpayers Union
Resources:
- October 30, 2017: Lawmakers Should Support Medicare Panel Repeal Bill (vote alert)
- July 19, 2017: Committee Should Expedite Bipartisan IPAB Repeal (letter)
- June 30, 2017: NTU Foundation: CBO Projection Problems Raise Doubts About IPAB (research)
- June 22, 2017: Immediate Action Required to Address IPAB Threat (letter)