Robert Gibbs and IPAB Members

Senator Jim Demint's blog ^ | 08-20-2012 | Jim Demint

[MNJohnnie]

Robert Gibbs and IPAB Members

Speaking on Fox News Sunday yesterday, Robert Gibbs was challenged about the composition of Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB. He said that the IPAB would be composed of “medical professionals. They are people that we trust to make medical decisions.”

Actually, that statement is FALSE. Obamacare specifically states that practicing medical professionals may NOT comprise the majority of the IPAB’s membership --meaning economists and other potential bean-counters will by definition maintain a majority voting share on the board. Here’s the specific language from page 423 of the statute (emphasis mine):

(iii) MAJORITY NONPROVIDERS.—Individuals who are directly involved in the provision or management of the delivery of items and services covered under this title shall not constitute a majority of the appointed membership of the Board.

Of course, if Gibbs -- and by extension the Obama campaign -- want to argue that the IPAB’s members will be thoroughly respected, then President Obama could actually follow the law and appoint IPAB nominees. According to page 426 of the statute, the law appropriates funds for IPAB (originally $15 million, but lowered to $5 million last December) “for fiscal year 2012” -- that’s the fiscal year ending this September 30. So Obamacare contemplates IPAB being up and running NOW -- yet President Obama has failed to nominate any appointees to the board. If the President wants to save Medicare so badly -- and IPAB is so critical to saving Medicare -- what’s he waiting for? And if IPAB is so innocuous and won’t harm seniors, why is he waiting until AFTER his re-election campaign to announce who he wants to put on the board?

Given the massive powers of the IPAB officials -- the rulings of these bureaucrats will be exempt from both administrative AND judicial review – there’s a good government argument to be made that the American people should have full knowledge of who these powerful people will be BEFORE they make their choice in November. Of course, given this Administration’s history of radical appointees -- i.e., Donald “Rationing with Our Eyes Open” Berwick -- it’s entirely likely that the Administration does NOT want to tell the American people exactly who will be supervising the Medicare program under IPAB’s new world order.

[MNJohnnie]

Another day, another lie from the O regime.

[Red Badger]

Then you will wind up with people of the caliber of TSA screeners making decisions about whether you will get that operation or not.............

[Red Badger]

...and by the time they actually make the decision, yea or nay, you will already be in your grave.............

[kabar]

Romney/Ryan should be stressing IPAB and its immediate impact on seniors in Medicare. It is a much better approach than talking about the $716 billion taken from Medicare to fund Obamacare. Talking numbers makes it easier for the Dems to play games with statistics. IPAB is the Achilles heel of Obamacare when it comes to discussing the political impact on voters. It is the law of the land, not a plan. Sarah Palin knew how to hit the jugular when she described it as a “Death Panel.”

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Gibbs looks like a baboon with a large banana shoved up his butt.

If he were an Indian (Native American for the Susan Warren liars club), he would be known as “ Grinning Face Who Lies Like Bear Rug”.

Is Jay Carney his son? Does Carney actually have a birth certificate or was he hatched from a petri dish? Does Gibbs have a birth certificate or was he found in a seed pod from outer space?

These explanations for their mental corruption are as good as any other.