House votes to repeal Independent Payment Advisory Board

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday voted 307-111 to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The 15-member board was created by the Affordable Care Act to make recommendations on Medicare payment policy if the projected five-year average growth in per capita Medicare spending exceeds a specified target, which has not happened to date. The IPAB recommendations would take effect unless Congress passed legislation to achieve the target savings. Hospitals other than critical access hospitals are excluded from the board’s recommendations through 2019.