Congressional Hearings on Health Policy Issues
Recent Congressional health policy hearings have included: a House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing on the Medicare program’s financial status; a Senate Finance Committee hearing on “Health Care Entitlements: The Road Forward"; a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearings examining the Medicare/Medicaid dual eligible population and the Medicare Secondary Payer program; and a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing entitled “Transforming Lives Through Diabetes Research.” Looking ahead, on July 13 the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is holding a hearing entitled “IPAB: The Controversial Consequences for Medicare and Seniors.” Under the ACA, the new Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) is charged with submitting detailed proposals to Congress and the President to reduce Medicare per-capita spending if projected spending growth exceeds a target. IPAB's proposals will go into effect automatically unless Congress enacts alternative legislation to achieve the required savings (with certain exceptions).
