On May 24, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported the appointment of five new members to Medical Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) including Alice Coombs, M.D., an anesthesiologist and critical care specialist at Milton Hospital and South Shore Hospital in Massachusetts. Dr. Coombs was the past president of the Massachusetts Medical Society and she helped to establish the New England Medical Association. Dr. Coombs' term will run from May, 2012 through May, 2015.
Created under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, MedPAC is considered an independent agency of Congress that is comprised of 17 members serving 3-year terms. MedPAC is tasked with advising Congress on Medicare issues.