House lawmakers voted Wednesday to advance legislation to repeal a controversial provision of the healthcare reform law, the Hill reports.
Bipartisan legislation to repeal the healthcare law's cost-control board sailed through a House panel on Wednesday, raising pressure on the Senate to take up the bill and dealing President Obama a political blow.
The Energy and Commerce Health subcommittee vote was 17-5, with ranking member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) crossing the aisle to vote for repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board. There were no amendments…
Panel Chairman Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) opened the repeal markup by arguing that the 15-member board, which Republicans label a "rationing board"—repeal bill sponsor Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) has even called it "the real death panel"—would supplant lawmakers' ability to run Medicare policy. The board is tasked with recommending provider payment cuts if Medicare costs grow faster than a targeted rate; Congress could propose its own equivalent savings with a simple majority or overturn the recommendations with a supermajority.
Read more about IPAB from the repeal bill’s chief sponsor here.