[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 48 (Thursday, March 22, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E433-E434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               H.R. 5 PROTECTING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 22, 2012

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice the concerns raised by 
my constituents regarding the Independent Payment Advisory Board 
(IPAB).
  Though I voted against H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare 
Act, I, too, have concerns about an unelected, unaccountable board 
tasked with creating cost-cutting plans if Medicare spending exceeds 
certain levels. Though the Board is prohibited by law from cutting 
beneficiary policies, and the Congressional Budget Office predicts that 
a cost-cutting plan will not be triggered during this budget cycle, I 
urge my House colleagues to revisit this issue. We, as elected 
representatives of the people, have a Constitutional responsibility to 
ensure the voices of our constituencies are heard when it comes to the 
future of Medicare. Walling off those decisions, in order to expedite 
cost cutting efforts that lack sufficient popular support, is the 
surest way to a budgetary debacle.
  We must preserve access to quality care, while containing costs, but 
we also must ensure an opportunity for the voice of the people to be 
heard and their needs to be taken into consideration.

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