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April 28, 2023
2023-0776

House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee considers 17 bills to lower health costs and increase transparency

On April 26, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing entitled, "Lowering Unaffordable Costs: Legislative Solutions to Increase Transparency and Competition in Health Care." During the hearing, lawmakers discussed 17 bills to address rising health care costs in the United States. The bills covered a range of topics, including pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), transparency of health care prices and ownership, site-neutral payments, physician-owned hospitals, unfair billing practices, and more.

Lawmakers heard from two panels. The first featured Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, who spoke about CMS' efforts to implement policies to lower costs and increase transparency in health care and responded to member questions. The second panel featured a range of representatives from the hospital industry, the PBM industry, employers, patient advocates, as well as an accountable care organization leader and an economist.

The hearing was notable for its bipartisan tone, but lawmakers noted wide disagreement among industry representatives on how best to lower health care prices and the merit of the draft legislation before the subcommittee.

More information is available here.

Additional information is also available in the attached Tax Alert.

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For additional information concerning this Alert, please contact:
 
Washington Council Ernst & Young
   • Heather Meade (heather.meade@ey.com)
   • Heather Bell (heather.bell@ey.com)

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Hearing to lower health costs and increase transparency

 

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