House bill would disband Medicare Independent Advisory Board

The House Energy and Commerce Committee last Tuesday approved a bill to end the Independent Advisory Board, a group created by the Affordable Care Act to provide advice on how to curb Medicare spending.

Republicans voiced concern that the board could exceed its advisory capacity and indirectly implement rationing of some health care services. A vote by the full House could come by the end of March.

In the Senate, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced a bill in February to end the advisory board. It has 22 Republican co-sponsors and no Democratic co-sponsors.