RE: Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) repeal – H.R. 849, S. 251, S. 260
Dear Speaker Ryan and Leaders McConnell, Schumer, and Pelosi:
As the Alliance of Specialty Medicine (Alliance), our mission is to advocate for sound federal
health care policy that fosters patient access to the highest quality specialty care. As patient and
physician advocates, we write to urge that Congress act to repeal the Independent Payment
Advisory Board (IPAB). The Alliance supports inclusion of H.R. 849, S. 251, or S. 260 as part of
the upcoming continuing resolution (CR).
The Alliance strongly opposes the IPAB or any other board resulting in an inappropriate
delegation of Congress’ oversight responsibilities. Significant health care decisions must not be
made by a group of unelected, unaccountable individuals with little or no clinical expertise or the
oversight required to protect access to care for America’s seniors. The Alliance is concerned that
the IPAB will arbitrarily ratchet down provider reimbursement, without sufficient oversight and
without care taken to ensure that Medicare beneficiariesreceive the quality health care that they
need and deserve.
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