Flores Votes to Protect Healthcare Access

Statement

The House of Representatives has continued to chip away at the budget-busting, job-destroying Democrat takeover of healthcare with the passage of H.R. 5, Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act. The PATH Act provides for medical malpractice reform and repeals the provisions providing for the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a key component found in the president's healthcare law. U.S. Congressman Bill Flores (R-Texas) released the following statement regarding the passage of the PATH Act:

"Today, the House scored a win against the Democrat takeover of healthcare by repealing the bureaucratic advisory boards created to restrict access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. The provision for IPAB was buried deep within the legislation which would have given an unelected, unaccountable board of bureaucrats the ability to make unilateral and un-appealable decisions regarding care. The Medicare spending cuts that the board brings forward could harm patient access to care and force providers to limit the number of patients they treat or even stop participating in Medicare altogether. Rather than having bureaucrats make decisions on care we must restore the doctor-patient relationship and leave the decision making in the hands of the doctors, patients and families.

"Additionally, medical malpractice is one of the most significant health care cost drivers, with many frivolous lawsuits amounting to legalized extortion of doctors and hospitals. By reforming medical malpractice standards we can reduce the federal budget deficit by more than $45 billion over the next ten years. Having standards in place to rein in frivolous malpractice lawsuits will reduce healthcare costs while maintaining high quality care.

"One of my top priorities since coming to Congress has been to repeal the president's budget-busting, job-destroying health care law so that we may replace it with common-sense reforms that lower costs and protect jobs. The passage of the PATH Act marks the 26th time that House Republicans have voted to repeal or defund the Democrat takeover of healthcare. Last week's discovery by the Congressional Budget Office that the Democrat takeover of healthcare will cost an astounding $1.76 trillion, nearly double its original price tag, makes repeal of the law even more necessary."

Congressman Bill Flores represents the 17th District of Texas and is an entrepreneur, former energy executive, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and member of the House Budget, Natural Resources and Veterans' Affairs Committees.

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