Top Democrats Split On IPAB

Politico reports:

For the past year, Democrats have been mostly united on health care issues, especially in the face of Republican efforts to repeal President Barack Obama’s landmark law. But this week, House Republicans plan to fire their opening salvos against the Independent Payment Advisory Board — an issue on which Democrats are far from united.

Republicans plan to launch new attacks on the board in two congressional hearings. Democrats are divided over whether to support the health law at all costs or to allow Republicans an opening to repeal a provision.

IPAB was created under the health care overhaul law to control the rising costs of Medicare. If costs go up too much, the board’s recommendations will go into effect unless Congress comes up with the same amount of savings.

But some Democrats, as well as most Republicans and health care providers, argue the panel could arbitrarily cut services to Medicare patients and payments to providers with little congressional oversight.

The top Democrats on two House panels that will hold hearings this week — the Budget Committee and the Energy and Commerce health subcommittee — offer the perfect window into their party’s disagreements.