The Independent Payment Advisory Board: A Potential Game Changer in Health Care Reform

A controversial provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is the creation of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). The IPAB has been lauded by some as instrumental in separating the control of health care costs from political pressures. On the other hand, it has been deplored by others as a unilateral authority with far-reaching power whose decisions are exempt from judicial and administrative review. The IPAB essentially was created to absolve Congress of having to make tough decisions that would help control Medicare costs but would impact quality of care and access to health care for senior citizens. In this article, I will discuss how the IPAB will influence a physician’s ability to render timely and quality health care for Medicare patients if the IPAB is fully implemented.