▁end anger ▁the ▁health ▁of ▁patients , ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁" work ▁t ire lessly ▁to ▁mit ig ate ▁the ▁damage " ▁the ▁panel ▁would ▁cause . ▁ ▁Lob by ing ▁groups ▁The ▁Ph arma ce ut ical ▁Research ▁and ▁Man ufact ur ers ▁of ▁America ▁said ▁that ▁elim ination ▁of ▁the ▁payment ▁board ▁was ▁its ▁top ▁priority ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Congress . ▁The ▁American ▁Hospital ▁Association ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁Medical ▁Association ▁( A MA ) ▁have ▁spoken ▁out ▁against ▁the ▁board . ▁The ▁A MA ▁wanted ▁to ▁change ▁the ▁IP AB ▁requirement ▁that ▁members ▁have ▁no ▁outside ▁employ ment ▁so ▁working ▁phys icians ▁could ▁be ▁considered . ▁The ▁A MA ▁also ▁opposed ▁any ▁independent ▁commission ▁which ▁could ▁cut ▁phys ician ▁payment ▁rates . ▁ ▁Dr . ▁J . ▁Fred ▁R al ston ▁Jr ., ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁College ▁of ▁Phys icians ▁( AC P ), ▁expressed ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁idea ▁behind ▁the ▁IP AB , ▁saying ▁" making ▁complex ▁Medic are ▁payment ▁and ▁budget ary ▁dec isions ▁is ▁very ▁difficult ▁within ▁a ▁political ▁process ▁with ▁substantial ▁lo bb ying ▁press ures ," ▁but ▁the ▁group ▁wanted ▁to ▁see ▁significant ▁changes . ▁The ▁A CP ▁supported ▁creating ▁a ▁position ▁for ▁a ▁primary ▁care ▁phys ician ▁on ▁IP AB , ▁additional ▁prote ctions ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁cost ▁redu ctions ▁would ▁not ▁lead ▁to ▁lower ▁quality ▁of ▁care , ▁authority ▁for ▁Congress ▁to ▁reject ▁propos als ▁made ▁by ▁IP AB ▁via ▁a ▁simple ▁majority ▁vote , ▁and ▁equal ▁treatment