FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22^nd, 2011

Paulsen: Unelected, Unaccountable Bureaucrats Should Not Direct Healthcare Policy

Votes to Abolish the Independent Payment Advisory Board That Would Hurt Seniors

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Erik Paulsen (MN-03) joined a majority of Representatives today in voting for the repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). IPAB is a powerful new board of unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats whose job will be to save money by setting reimbursement rates for specific procedures – giving them the power to deny care to seniors. This 15 member board is authorized to make unilateral decisions that should be made by patients and their doctors. The American Medical Association has endorsed the abolishment of IPAB.  

“Our seniors deserve better than having a group of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats making their healthcare decisions. In the absence of a plan to strengthen Medicare, the President’s new healthcare law takes more than $500 billion from Medicare to finance new entitlement programs and creates the Independent Payment Advisory Board to decide what care American seniors may receive.” 

Click here to view Rep. Paulsen’s recent floor speech regarding IPAB.

Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus, as well as the U.S.–Korea Free Trade Working Group.

For more information on Rep. Paulsen’s work in Congress please visit www.paulsen.house.gov.

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