400 Patient, Healthcare Organizations Throughout Country Now Signing Letter to Congress Urging IPAB Repeal

WASHINGTON – The growing number of patient, healthcare, employer, veterans and disability-related organizations urging Congress to eliminate the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) has now reached 400, the president of the Healthcare Leadership Council said today.

Every day, more organizations from throughout the United States are signing onto a letter to members of Congress that addresses the necessity of IPAB repeal, HLC President Mary R. Grealy said.

IPAB repeal legislation has passed the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees and is expected to be voted upon by the full House during the week of March 19.

“There is a groundswell telling Congress that this harmful provision needs to be removed from the law,” Ms. Grealy said.  “IPAB isn’t about improving Medicare.  It’s not about better healthcare.   It’s not about fiscal responsibility.  IPAB invests too much power in the hands of political appointees without reasonable oversight.  It’s structured to cut Medicare reimbursements which, in turn, leads to less access to quality healthcare for seniors.”

She added, “Medicare needs structural reform to improve both quality and cost-effectiveness.  IPAB doesn’t do that.”

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 The Healthcare Leadership Council is a coalition of chief executives of the nation’s leading health care companies and organizations.