Press Releases

GOODLATTE STATEMENT FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION REPEALING GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTH CARE PROVISION

Washington, D.C.: Today Congressman Bob Goodlatte issued this statement following House passage of the PATH Act, legislation which repeals the provision in the President’s health care bill that created the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) and also makes important medical malpractice reforms to cut down on the high cost of defensive medicine.  The Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act passed the House by a vote of 223-181.

“On the eve of the two year anniversary of President Obama signing into law the disastrous government takeover of our health care system, the House of Representatives held our twenty-sixth vote to repeal, defund or dismantle this monstrosity.

Today, with my strong support, the House passed the PATH Act which repeals the provision in the President’s health care bill that created the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). 

IPAB is the ultimate example of government dictating medical decisions that should be left to individuals and their doctors.  This rationing board is made up of 15 unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats who will be tasked with cutting spending on health care treatments and so they will be the ones defining “necessary care”, not your physician.  Without transparency and accountability, Medicare beneficiaries will see funding slashed at the expense of improving quality of care.
 
While today’s vote to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board created by President Obama in his massive takeover of our health care system is of critical importance, it is by no means the end of this fight.  House Republicans, including myself, are fully committed to seeing the new health care reform legislation repealed in its entirety and we will not stop until we have achieved this goal.”