Legislation proposed to repeal Medicare payment advisory board
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has introduced a bill that would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a body created by the health care reform law whose charge is to reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has introduced a bill that would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a body created by the health care reform law whose charge is to reduce the per capita rate of growth in Medicare spending.
The IPAB, Cornyn says, would empower 15 bureaucrats to make substantial changes to Medicare without full transparency and accountability to America’s seniors and their elected officials. Known as the Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act, the bill is supported by the Alliance of Specialty Medicine, an organization of national medical societies, including the AUA.
"In true fashion of Obama-Reid-Pelosi hubris, the IPAB is the definition of a government takeover," Cornyn said. "America’s seniors deserve the ability to hold elected officials accountable for the decisions that affect their Medicare, but IPAB would take that away from seniors and put power in the hands of politically appointed Washington bureaucrats."
The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Tom Coburn (R-OK).
"We are thankful that these senators are making patients a priority and working to repeal the IPAB," said Alex B. Valadka, MD, a neurosurgeon and spokesperson for the Alliance of Specialty Medicine. "I’m hopeful that more will join the cause."
Prior paid malpractice claims linked to increased risk of future claims
February 22nd 2023Based on 5- and 10-year study periods, physicians with single or multiple paid medical malpractice claims “were shown to have a greatly elevated risk of having additional paid claims during a future period,” the authors wrote.
Surprise billing regulation stuns providers, rejects congressional intent
November 17th 2021"The AACU joined 1 effort calling for the administration to remove the directive that arbiters anchor their determination to the qualifying payment amount, and instead let them consider all allowable information submitted by the parties to support their offer," says Ross E. Weber of the AACU.
