Sebelius testifies before House Ways and Means Committee

The Health and Human Services secretary said the administration was vetting candidates for the the Independent Payment Advisory Board and defended President Barack Obama's 2013 budget.

Kaiser Health News: Health On The Hill: House Republicans Pound Sebelius On Health Law
Mary Agnes Carey talks with Jackie Judd about HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' appearance before the House Ways and Means Committee. Sebelius defended the health care law and the president's fiscal 2013 budget request. The hearing had all the hallmarks of a partisan political event (2/28). Read the transcript or listen to the interview.

CQ HealthBeat: Administration Vetting IPAB Candidates, Though Panel Likely Won't Make Recommendations Until 2018
The Obama administration is slowly vetting candidates to serve on the controversial Independent Payment Advisory Board that House Republicans plan to soon vote to repeal, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told Ways and Means Committee members on Tuesday. "Active discussions are under way about those possible candidates," Sebelius said. "Vetting those folks is not an easy task because this must be a full-time job" (Adams, 2/28).

There's more about IPAB -

Politico Pro: House Panel Aims To Repeal IPAB
Congressional Republicans plan to start votes on Wednesday to repeal the health care reform law's Independent Payment Advisory Board, potentially culminating in a bipartisan House floor vote shortly before the Supreme Court's oral arguments next month. The Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is slated to mark up repeal legislation Wednesday, and Ways and Means Health Subcommittee plans to go next week. A House floor vote could come the week of March 19, according to congressional aides and bill sponsor Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.). Already it has 209 Republican and 17 Democratic co-sponsors (Haberkorn and Dobias, 2/29).