[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3954]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              REPEAL IPAB

  (Mr. CRAWFORD asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support for the 
Medicare Decisions Accountability Act that passed this body today.
  The measure will repeal the controversial Independent Payment 
Advisory Board, or IPAB, that would limit seniors' access to Medicare.
  In my rural Arkansas district, senior citizens rely on Medicare to 
see their doctor and get their prescriptions filled. Without the 
coverage, they would be in a world of hurt. IPAB has the real threat of 
limiting seniors' access to treatment. I won't stand idly by while the 
IPAB board of 15 unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats tries to deny 
Medicare services to my constituents.
  Members of IPAB are not subject to any real checks and balances. A 
huge amount of power is being given to this Medicare-cutting board that 
will be tasked with deciding who can and can't receive health care 
benefits. I am committed to strengthening Medicare for today's seniors 
and the next generation of Americans for this program. The Independent 
Payment Advisory Board will not protect seniors; it will only deny 
care.
  Mr. Speaker, the Medicare Decisions Accountability Act gives seniors 
in my Arkansas district the security of knowing that their Medicare 
benefits will not be denied by faceless bureaucrats. I hope the Senate 
will now take action and pass this important bill.

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