House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Repeal IPAB

Washington, DC – November 2, 2017

The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 849, the Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act, by a vote of 307-111.

H.R. 849, authored by Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which was created under the Affordable Care Act with the objective of identifying savings by restricting access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries. If IPAB is triggered, even if the board has not been filled, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the authority to carry out cuts to vital services.

At a July #SubHealth hearing, Ms. Mary Grealy, President, Healthcare Leadership Council, testified in support of H.R. 849, saying, “Nearly 800 organizations representing patients, health care providers, seniors, employers, veterans, Americans with disabilities, and others are asking Congress to do away with the Independent Payment Advisory Board before harm is done to Medicare beneficiaries.”

“Repealing the threat of this powerful, unelected board has been a bipartisan effort for years,” said Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX). “Today, the House acted yet again to repeal this board and its unconstitutional relinquishment of Congressional authority. I urge the Senate to follow suit so we can return oversight of the future of the Medicare program where it belongs. We must prevent potential cuts from being implemented by this unelected board once and for all.”

Note from MGMA

Please visit the MGMA Advocacy Center to ask their Senators to vote YES to this IPAB repeal legislation.