Protecting Access to Healthcare Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. PENCE. I thank the chairman for yielding.
I rise today in support of the Protecting Access to Healthcare Act. This bill will take an important step forward in dismantling the government takeover of health care that was passed by this body some 2 years ago.
The PATH Act essentially would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board included in ObamaCare, and I strongly support it.
Now, quite frankly, the IPAB that is the acronym that's been used often on the floor in this debate is probably something that most Americans are unfamiliar with. But they deserve to know that buried in section 3403 of ObamaCare, there's a powerful board of unelected bureaucrats, this so-called Independent Payment Advisory Board, whose sole job will be to save money by restricting access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries. That's the purpose of IPAB.
IPAB is required to achieve specific savings in years where Medicare spending is deemed to be too high. It will lead, inexorably, to rationing. It will take medical decisions out of the hands of doctors and patients, and it will reduce patient choice, unambiguously.
Furthermore, ObamaCare doesn't even require that IPAB do all of this in the public domain. There's no requirement that IPAB hold public meetings or hearings, consider public input on its proposal, or make its deliberations open to the public.
Unaccountable Washington bureaucrats meeting behind closed doors to make unilateral decisions that should be made by patients and doctors is unacceptable, and this IPAB must be repealed.
It was 2 years ago that we passed this government takeover of health care into law. It's important to note that the first act of this Congress in January 2011 was a full repeal of ObamaCare.
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Mr. PENCE. I thank the gentleman.
You'll never convince me that the Federal Government, under the Constitution, has the authority to order the American people to buy health insurance whether they want it or need it, or not. My hope is that in the days ahead, the Supreme Court will come to that conclusion.
I believe we must not rest, we must not relent until we repeal ObamaCare, lock, stock and barrel. But, for now, let's take the path that is before us. Let's pass the Protecting Access to Healthcare Act, and let's repeal this onerous Independent Payment Advisory Board once and for all.
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