House Committee Holds Hearing to Discuss Several Healthcare Proposals

Last week, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled, “Lowering Unaffordable Costs: Legislative Solutions to Increase Transparency and Competition in Health Care.

The committee heard testimony from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, as well as from several advocacy organizations — including groups representing hospitals, pharmacy benefit managers, patients and employers. Policymakers are considering measures that take aim at high health costs and increasing consolidation among hospitals and physician practices, and insurers with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Of the 17 measures, some are bills that have been introduced in the House of Representatives and others are discussion drafts.

The subcommittee questioned CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure regarding policies on Alzheimer’s drug coverage and hospital price-transparency rules being implemented by the agency. Other topics that were raised at the hearing include surprise billing, physician-owned hospitals and site neutral payment policies.

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) will continue to monitor these congressional proposals impacting healthcare costs and transparency. For additional information, contact Ashley Walton, ACR Director of Government Affairs.