An Idaho physician recently emailed me this piece about the Independent Payment Advisory Board for Medicare included in the Senate health bill.
Here are his comments:
I think you will find this interesting. They cannot be eliminated by a future congress without 2/3 majority (possibly unconstitutional). Although they cannot ration care directly, they can by funding certain treatments far below the cost of delivering the treatment. As a former Chief of Staff of a VA hospital, I fully understand how ex officio rationing can be done.
This is an abomination, especially if a super-majority is needed to kill it.
This is an abomination, especially if a super-majority is needed to kill it.
An abomination indeed.
