A group of 74 healthcare groups, including the two major nursing home associations, urged congressional leaders this week to drop the Independent Payment Advisory Board proposal from healthcare reform legislation.
In a letter, they argued that a new, independent Medicare payment advisory panel would have too much control over Medicare and limit providers’ ability to petition the government for changes in Medicare reimbursements. The groups, which include the American Health Care Association and the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, sent the letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).
Any reimbursement reductions recommended by the board would compound the $400 to $500 billion in Medicare cuts already planned under healthcare reform, the groups argued. They also expressed concerns that the independent payment advisory board would be accountable only to the president.
