Political Quotes

“I would say to the distinguished minority whip, I do support Ex-Im Bank and urge my leaders to act on it. We are together on support of that. Let me just mention a few things to correct the record. Number one, we had Secretary Burwell before the committee earlier this year and Dr. Larry Bucshon, on our Health Subcommittee, asked her specifically, when the IPAB cuts would begin to take effect. She said in 2019. In fact, the President's own budget request would begin the cuts of IPAB in 2019. Now, you don't have to have the members of the IPAB appointed in order to have the cuts. The law, IPAB, designates the Secretary of HHS with the authority to make those cuts. To overcome those cuts, you really have to have two-thirds votes in the House and the Senate, with commensurate cuts from somewhere else in Medicare to replace those cuts that you are overcoming. {time} 1345 So this is a Board that has tremendous power that will deal with provider payments and cuts. We just dealt with the SGR, the sustainable growth rate, in a bipartisan manner. We acted to repeal the sustainable growth rate that required cuts to provider payments for seniors, and it was supported overwhelmingly. But if you liked the SGR, you will love IPAB. This is the SGR on steroids. It will be very difficult to overcome these 15 unelected bureaucrats, experts, whatever you want to call them--it can't be a majority of docs, by the way--or the Secretary, whoever makes the recommendations.…”