Senate budget deal repeals IPAB

On Wednesday, Senate leaders revealed a bipartisan budget deal that would increase government spending caps by $300 billion over the next two years and includes a repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a Medicare cost-containment board created by the Affordable Care Act.

IPAB has the authority to recommend steps to cut Medicare costs if spending exceeds specific triggers. The recommendations would go into force automatically unless legislation is enacted making alternative cuts of the same magnitude. While previous attempts to eliminate IPAB have failed, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill in November to terminate the board. The Senate has not yet voted on H.R. 849 (see BioCentury Extra, Nov. 2, 2017)...