In many ways this bill is designed to drive private insurance companies out of business and to bring about a national healthcare system similar to that in Canada and some nations in Europe. This bill calls for an Independent Payment Advisory Board which will have the power to make almost unlimited decisions about what kind of healthcare we will receive.
There will be 15 members on this advisory board who will be appointed (not elected). They are to come up with ways to reduce the cost of Medicare. Whatever this politically appointed board comes up with must be acted on by Congress by Aug. 15 of each year. Suppose Congress does not act in a manner that achieves the level of cost containment called for, (remember, it's difficult for Congress to agree on anything) then what?
If Congress does not act in the manner dictated, the recommendations of the Independent Payment Advisory Board are no longer recommendations but they become the law. All this occurs without congressional approval or being signed into law by whoever is president at the time.
President Obama says that the IPAB can't make decisions about what medical treatments might be given to the patient. However, since the all-powerful IPAB can control payments to hospitals and doctors this, in itself, controls what medical measures may be used to treat the patient or to ultimately save one's life?
However, according to President Obama, Congress can repeal IPAB, but only during a seven-month time frame in 2117. Congress has rarely been able to do anything in seven months, and again according to Obama's terms, any repeal would call for a three-fifths majority in both the House and the Senate. And, if congress can't achieve this, according to Obama, they are banned from ever altering IPAB proposals.
More @ The Daily Southerner
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