There's a lot of ridiculousness happening in Congress right now, as leadership tries to figure out how not to let the whole goddamned enterprise collapse. But this might be the most stupid thing yet.
Remember the IPAB? That's the Independent Payment Advisory Board. Or back in the day, the "death panel." Which it wasn't then and isn't now. That's not the totally stupid part. The totally stupid part is that repealing it is not a "pay-for" as Republicans are trying to claim.
Because it doesn't cost money. In fact, repealing it will cost money. The Congressional Budget Office told them so just last October when they scored H.R. 849, a IPAB repeal bill.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 849 would increase direct spending by $17.5 billion over the 2018-2027 period. […] Taking into account that possibility, CBO estimates that repealing the IPAB provision of the ACA would probably result in higher spending for the Medicare program over the 2022 through 2027 period than would occur under current law.
Seriously, can these people not read? Maybe leadership is counting on the fact that Republicans flat-out don't read.
"We need Republican votes? Throw in death panel repeal, that'll get them."
"But the CBO told us that would cost us $18 billion."
"Like they read the CBO report. Just put it in and call it a pay-for. It'll work."
It very well could.
Help end the stupid by helping future Democratic challengers with your $1.