Dear Editor:
In the June 20 op-ed on p. A-21 by David Rivkin and Elizabeth Foley, “An ObamaCare Board
Answerable to No One,” the authors hit the nail on the head regarding the plethora of problems
stemming from the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) – and the board’s dubious
constitutionality.
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons
(CNS) are leading a physician coalition dedicated to repealing the IPAB. The coalition represents more
than 350,000 physicians across 26 specialty physician groups.
Not only is there widespread agreement amongst healthcare stakeholders that IPAB is bad news for
Medicare patients, but there is also bipartisan legislation moving forward in Congress to get rid of this
Medicare board.
The AANS and CNS strongly urge repeal of the IPAB because leaving Medicare policy decisions in the
hands of an unelected, unaccountable governmental body with minimal congressional oversight will
negatively affect timely access to quality care for our nation’s senior citizens and those with disabilities.
Neurosurgery recognizes that we need to control the growth of healthcare spending, but the IPAB is
simply the wrong solution for addressing these budgetary challenges.
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Read full letter here
