Senators Introduce the Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act

Since a health care overhaul “was signed into law in late March, Republicans have regularly been challenged by Democrats to single out which portions of the statute they would target for repeal, according to their ‘repeal and replace’ mantra,” Roll Call reports.

On Tuesday afternoon, a handful of Republican Senators answered that question, introducing a bill to scrap the Independent Payment Advisory Board created by the new health care law. The board is charged with helping to control health care costs, and GOP critics say it will lead to the rationing of care.

It’s unlikely to go anywhere, given that the Democratic majority controls the legislative calendar and President Barack Obama would be inclined to veto the bill.

“America’s seniors deserve the ability to hold elected officials accountable for the decisions that affect their Medicare, but IPAB would take that away from seniors and put power in the hands of politically appointed Washington bureaucrats,” said the bill’s author, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas). “This bill to repeal IPAB is just one step toward starting over with real health care reform.”

Co-sponsoring the legislation “are Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and GOP Sens. Tom Coburn (Okla.), Orrin Hatch (Utah) and Pat Roberts (Kan.).”

(credit image – daylife/getty)