The bill, titled Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act (H.R. 351), already has bipartisan support from 84 cosponsors. IPAB is prohibited from suggesting cuts to patient benefits, so the board’s decisions can only affect providers. Hospitals also exempt from cuts until 2018, meaning cuts will only affect ASCs, physicians, drug manufacturers and others for several years.
Legislators have voiced concern that Medicare consumers cannot contest decisions made by the IPAB.
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