Dems Back Medicare Cutting Board

March 22, 2012

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Shelley Adler (NJ-03), Pete Aguilar (CA-31), Jason Altmire (PA-12), Jeff Anderson (MN-08), George Badey (PA-07), John Barrow (GA-12), Ami Bera (CA-07), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Kathy Boockvar (PA-08), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Lois Capps (CA-24), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Andrei Cherney (AZ-09), David Cicilline (RI-01), Tarryl Clark (MN-08), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Costa (CA-16), Mark Critz (PA-12), David Crooks (IN-08), John Delaney (MD-06), Val Demings (FL-10), Joanne Dowdell (NH-01), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Pete Gallego (TX-23), Rob Garagiola (MD-06), John Garamendi (CA-03), Alan Grayson (FL-09), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Pam Gullenson (ND-AL), Clark Hall (AR-01), Jose Hernandez (CA-10), Brian Higgins (NY-26), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Paul Hirschbiel (VA-02), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Q. Byrum Hurst (AR-04), Steve Israel (NY-03), Bill Keating (MA-09), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), Pat Kreitlow (WI-07), Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02), Rory Lancman (NY-06), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Dan Maffei (NY-24), Larry Maggi (PA-18), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Gary McDowell (MI-01), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Joe Milkosi (CO-06), Brendan Mullen (IN-02), Patrick Murphy (FL-18), Mark Murphy (NY-11), Rick Nolan (MN-08), John Oceguera (NV-03), Bill Owens (NY-21), Sal Pace (CO-03), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Scott Peters (CA-52), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Raul Ruiz (CA-36), Lori Saldaña (CA-52), Brandon Shaffer (CO-04), Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09), Louise Slaughter (NY-25), Betty Sutton (OH-16), Mark Takano (CA-41), John Tierney (MA-06), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Manan Trivedi (PA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-03), Christie Vilsack (IA-04), Bill Vinsko (PA-11), Jamie Wall (WI-08), Tim Walz (MN-01), Charlie Wilson (OH-06), John Yarmuth (KY-03)

Garamendi Backs Medicare Cutting Board
California Democrat Defends the Government Takeover of Healthcare’s Board of Bureaucrats Risking Access to Care and Raising Costs for Seniors

WASHINGTON — When given the opportunity today to repeal the hugely unpopular Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), John Garamendi stood firm and insisted that 15 bureaucrats in Washington were better equipped to make Medicare decisions than millions of American seniors and their doctors. Garamendi’s vote affirmed his trust in the IPAB included in the government takeover of healthcare, which would empower 15 bureaucrats to slash Medicare, risking access to care and raising costs for seniors.

“John Garamendi apparently thinks that 15 unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats in Washington should be able to stand in between millions of seniors on Medicare and their doctors,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Garamendi’s vote to allow this bureaucrat board to risk access to care and raise healthcare costs places him on the wrong side of seniors on Medicare and thousands of doctors across the country.”

Garamendi voted against repealing the IPAB today (H.R. 5, Roll Call #126, Passed 223-181: R 216-10; D 7-171, 3/22/12)

However, protecting the Democrats’ Medicare slashing board of 15 bureaucrats is sure to draw the ire of seniors, and it has already drawn the opposition of doctors across the country:

American Medical Association: “The AMA has consistently expressed its opposition to the IPAB on several grounds. The IPAB puts important health care payment and policy decisions in the hands of an independent body that has far too little accountability. Major changes in the Medicare program should be decided by elected officials… Adding additional formulaic cuts through IPAB is just not rational and would be detrimental to patient care, especially as millions of baby boomers enter Medicare.” (James L. Madera, Letter to Rep. Joe Pitts, American Medical Association, 2/27/12)

American Osteopathic Association: “We are concerned that, by removing Congressional authority over the Medicare payment system and placing such unprecedented authority in an unelected body, quality care for our patients will be jeopardized.” (Martin S. Levine, American Osteopathic Association, Letter to House Energy & Commerce Committee, 2/28/12)

American College of Surgeons: “On behalf of the more than 75,000 members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), I write to express our opposition to the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)… Leaving payment policy decisions in the hands of an unelected, unaccountable governmental body with minimal congressional oversight will negatively impact the availability of quality, efficient health care to Medicare beneficiaries and all Americans.” (David B. Hoyt, Letter to Joe Pitts, House Energy and Committee, 2/28/12)

Dems Back Medicare Cutting Board http://ow.ly/9OBDx #codered

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