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Amodei supports efforts to repeal and replace 'ObamaCare'

March 22, 2012

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Brian Baluta, 202-225-6155

March 22, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. --Following last week's Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announcement that the President’s health care law will cost nearly double its original trillion-dollar price tag, today Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-2) and House Republicans continued efforts to repeal and replace the unpopular legislation known as "ObamaCare."

Amodei voted in favor of H.R. 5, the Protecting Access To Health Care (PATH) Act, which would block creation of the controversial "Independent Payment Advisory Board" (IPAB) and instead offer needed medical malpractice reform to lower health care costs.

Buried in Section 3403 of the 2,000-page ObamaCare law, IPAB is a board of unelected officials appointed by the President with a mandate to cut costs by restricting access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries. IPAB would cut reimbursement rates for procedures and services that it deems “unnecessary” to levels so low that no physician would provide the care. Medicare is already known for its low reimbursement rates, which have forced many physicians to stop accepting Medicare patients.

Health care for military personnel would also be affected by IPAB cuts because TRICARE reimbursement rates are directly tied to Medicare.

And with IPAB’s operating budget and generous salaries -- $165,300 for members and $179,700 for the chairperson -- coming directly from the Medicare trust fund, ObamaCare essentially requires seniors to pay for the privilege of getting their Medicare benefits cut by IPAB.

To make matters worse, there is no requirement for IPAB to hold public meetings or hearings, consider public input on its proposals, or make deliberations open to the public.

"Provisions like IPAB suggest that those who voted to pass ObamaCare didn't read the bill or they didn't want Americans to know what was in it," said Amodei. "As former Speaker Pelosi said, 'We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it.' Well Americans are finding out and they don't like it."

According to the latest Rasmussen survey of likely voters conducted in March, 56% favor repeal of ObamaCare.

Rather than IPAB, House Republicans propose to lower health care costs and improve access through medical malpractice reform, which has proven highly successful in several states, including Nevada, Texas and California. CBO estimates that the medical malpractice reforms in the PATH Act will reduce the federal budget deficit by more than $45 billion over the next 10 years and lower premiums for malpractice insurance by 25-30%.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 40% of U.S. medical malpractice suits are “without merit.” The threat of lawsuits drives the practice of “defensive medicine,” which increases health care costs for all Americans without improving care. The PATH Act reduces defensive medicine by making it difficult for trial lawyers who target medical professionals and force many out of practice.

The PATH Act is based on decades-old and highly successful health care litigation reforms, which will save taxpayers billions and reduce health care costs. It especially helps traditionally under-served rural and inner city communities and women seeking prenatal care because obstetricians face some of the highest malpractice insurance costs.

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