Washington, D.C.– Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, voted to repeal the Obama Administration’s Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) today.  The vote – which passed the House overwhelmingly – marks an important step in saving Medicare and the long-term repeal of ObamaCare.

“There’s nothing that threatens the future of Medicare more than the IPAB, and I’m pleased to join my colleagues today in voting to repeal it,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers.  “The IPAB represents a broad and dangerous overreach of the federal government’s powers.  Their mission to cut nearly $600 billion from Medicare will unnecessarily victimize doctors while threatening the quality of care for seniors.  Further, the IPAB is just a band-aid for the true reforms that Congress needs to make to save Medicare for future retirees. We need to save Medicare, not destroy it.  And today’s vote is an important milestone in doing exactly that.”

The IPAB – a board run by fifteen unelected health care professionals – is a dangerous provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that puts seniors’ treatment options in the hands of unelected bureaucrats.  Today’s bill repealing IPAB – H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act – now moves to the Senate.

On February 29, Rep. McMorris Rodgers, a member of the Health Subcommittee, joined a majority of her Subcommittee colleagues in approving legislation to repeal the IPAB.  Her statement is below:

“Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to say a few words about this bill and the need for Congress to reclaim its role in determining the appropriate reforms to Medicare.

“I don't think we have to look any further than two years ago to the United States Preventative Health Services Board and their recommendations on mammograms to see what government decisions do to our health care system.

“Moreover, IPAB is just a band-aid for the true reforms that Congress needs to make to save Medicare for our future retirees.

“We have to stop making doctors the victim of an unsustainable program – the only result will be even fewer doctors, decreased access and a lower quality of care.

“I urge my colleagues to support this bill and yield back my time.”