On March 22, the House of Representatives passed by a vote of 223-181 to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) and enact meaningful medical liability reform.

The IPAB, created under the 2010 health system reform law, seeks cost containment through a targeted Medicare spending system similar to the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.

The AADA, along with much of the physician community, feels this is a short-sighted system, which undermines the physician community and threatens the sustainability of the Medicare program.

This controversial, unelected board has been granted unprecedented power to replace congressional authority should Medicare spending exceed its estimated targets. Like the existing flawed SGR formula, these target-based expenditure systems fail to contain Medicare costs and instead unfairly place the cost-saving burden on physicians.

To offset the cost of enacting this legislation, congressional leadership plans to include HR 5, legislation that caps non-economic damages at $250,000, limits attorney fees and protects effective state medical liability reform laws.

The AADA has been steadfast in communicating with Congress about the negative consequences that the unelected IPAB would have on the specialty of dermatology and its patients. AADA recently urged congressional leadership to swiftly vote on repeal legislation.

Both IPAB repeal and medical liability reform are legislative priorities of the AADA and passage of these bills in the House of Representatives is a significant step forward in ensuring that patients across the country continue to have access to quality dermatologic care.

Take action now!

The Academy is calling all dermatologists to contact their Senators and urge support for IPAB repeal and medical liability reform.