Two from Igor Volsky:
“IPAB to stay for at least another year: ‘Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) acknowledged that the House simply doesn’t have time to take up his bill to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), which Republicans refer to as the law’s “rationing board.”’ [The Hill]” Austin’s comment: The IPAB is forbidden by law to “ration.”
“Enrollment in Medicare Advantage continues to grow: Medicare Advantage continues to surge in popularity among seniors and its premiums continue to fall, contradicting Republican predictions that President Obama’s health care law would halt the program’s recent and rapid expansion.’ [Washington Times]” Austin’s comment: This is just dripping with irony. On the one hand, Democrats are counting it as a success that MA has not decreased in popularity when many of them would very much like to see it do just that. On the other, Republicans may have warned that there’d be a rapid retrenchment in MA availability and benefits and, in time, it is expected there will be. The GAO report the Washington Times references says just that, as does my own research.
