On the recordMarch 21, 2012
I love the hyperbole. I love my friend from Florida's passionate discourse earlier in this conversation. But he was right. You can't have it both ways. Here's the problem. In their idea of having it both ways, they talk about medical malpractice as if, if we do nothing, things get better. If we ignore tort reform, things get better. If we ignore tort reform, costs of health care will stay the same. Well, in fact, it hasn't. It continues to rise. We talk about higher health care costs, but when we talk about that and we talk about IPAB in particular, 15--15--unelected bureaucrats. The maximum number that can be on that panel is seven physicians-- seven--so they're outvoted already. They're outvoted 8 7. No matter what they think is the proper care for a patient, they're going to be overridden by eight other bureaucrats that have nothing to do with providing health care to our seniors--not a thing. It's all going to be about costs. And they're right: that's how you're going to contain costs, by removing the options for seniors to get the medical care that they deserve and that they need. This independent panel is a rationing board. It's going to ration health care out because that's the only way that panel can save money for the Affordable Care Act. It was designed that way.…
