Burgess Statement to Repeal the Health Care Act’s Control Board
Washington,
March 22, 2012
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Keith Williams
(202 - 225 - 7772)
Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26) made the following statement regarding Thursday’s 223 to 181 vote from the House of Representatives sending a bill to the Senate to repeal one of the more intrusive parts of the Health Care Act.
Burgess Statement to Repeal the Health Care Act’s Control Board
“The future of American health care should not be left up to a panel in its role as the aloof arbiter of health care for seniors who depend on Medicare.”
Washington, D.C. – With Thursday’s 223 to 181 vote from the House of Representatives sending a bill to the Senate to repeal one of the more intrusive parts of the Health Care Act, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26), Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health and Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus, issued the following statement: “The Independent Payment Advisory Board encompasses all that is wrong with the Affordable Care Act. The health law contains policies that will disrupt the practice of medicine. “Along with many excesses and constrictions in the law, IPAB represents the worst of what is envisioned under the health care law. As a physician, as a Member of Congress and as a patient in my 60’s, I am offended by the Independent Payment Advisory Board. IPAB is not accountable to any constituency, and only exists to cut provider payments to fit a mathematically created ‘target.’ “IPAB would have far-reaching implications beyond Medicare for all of our nation’s doctors. IPAB throws the government into the middle of the sacred doctor - patient relationship with the power to influence prices, reimbursements and access. Beyond controlling Medicare, IPAB’s rationing edicts would serve as the benchmark for private insurance carriers’ own payment changes. Because of limitations on what the control board can cut, the majority of spending reductions would come from cuts to part B and Part D provider fees. “Doctors will become increasingly unable to provide the services that the Board has decided are not valuable. The answer is not to squeeze doctors out of providing services. The right choice is to have doctors and patients decide what the right care is for them. “The future of American health care should not be left up to a panel in its role as the aloof arbiter of health care for seniors who depend on Medicare – that is why I voted to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The U.S. Senate must also vote to repeal this unaccountable and unelected control board.” ###
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