The Daily News Journal - Black, DesJarlais Vote to Repeal Health Care Advisory Board

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U.S. Reps. Scott DesJarlais and Diane Black voted today for the Protecting Access to Health Care Act, which repeals the Independent Advisory Board set up in President Barack Obama's health care act.

This bill passed with a 223-181 vote.

DesJarlais, R-Jasper in Tennessee's 4th Congressional District, released the following statement after House passage of the legislation:

"As a physician I'm appalled by the idea of a panel of 15 unelected Washington bureaucrats determining what procedures doctors can provide to Medicare patients. IPAB takes away the ability for seniors and their doctors to decide on how best to meet their health care needs.

"This unaccountable board's sole objective is to control Medicare costs by imposing price controls that will restrict seniors' access to doctors and ultimately lead to the rationing of care.

"I hope that the Senate will join us in repealing this dangerous board so that we can replace it with real solutions that will protect our seniors' access to quality health care."

Black, a Gallatin Republican who represents Rutherford County in the 6th Congressional District, stated:

"When Nancy Pelosi said that we'd have to pass the health care bill in order to know what's in it, we could hardly anticipate how right she was. When it was revealed that the health care law, which cut $500 billion from Medicare, would achieve savings through this unelected board of 15 called the IPAB, it confirmed the image of a shadowy group of Washington bureaucrats controlling your health care. The nightmare of the health care law became a reality with IPAB."

Medicare is already known for its low reimbursement rates for doctors, which have forced many physicians to stop accepting new Medicare patients. Within the health care law, IPAB is specifically tasked with cutting provider rates even further, which would only makes it harder for seniors to access care. Additionally, if IPAB deems certain services and procedures as unnecessary, they can simply reimburse doctors at such a low rate that no physician would provide the care, Black's release states.

"I can't believe anyone can defend what the IPAB would do to our nation's seniors," said Black. "It is so important to prevent the coming reality that 15 untouchables in Washington will be telling seniors that they cannot get that surgery, or that prescription drug, or that procedure, because we won't pay for it. We must get bureaucrats out of the equation when it comes to health care, and restore the doctor-patient relationship."

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