The American Medical Association (AMA) applauded the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s decision to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a panel which, according to AMA President-elect Jeremy Lazarus, MD, would have “too little accountability and the power to make indiscriminate cuts that adversely affect access to healthcare for patients.

“While the AMA continues to support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), including expanded health coverage and insurance market reforms, elimination of the IPAB is an important change that must be made,” Lazarus continued. “This new, arbitrary system is not what we need when patients and physicians are already struggling with a looming cut of nearly 30 percent from the broken Medicare physician payment formula. Ending the ongoing threat of drastic cuts from the physician payment formula and preventing new cuts from IPAB are important first steps to stabilize the Medicare system for patients.”

AMA stated it is very pleased that the House passed the reforms. “We know that these reforms are already working in states such as California and Texas, and implementing them on the federal level will help reduce costs and preserve access to physician care for all patients,” Lazarus concluded.