HR Policy called on Congress to include comprehensive surprise billing protections and several other bipartisan provisions to reduce health care costs in legislation before the end of year.
One letter urges Congress to address surprise medical bills with a “local, market-based payment” before the end of the year.
Another letter urges Congress to enact a number of provisions in the bipartisan Lower Health Care Costs Act (S. 1985) including:
- Transparency provisions like prohibiting “gag clauses” that hide health care price and quality information from payers and patients;
- Limited, targeted reforms to reduce drug costs without threatening innovation, such as speeding generics to market, eliminating loopholes, and ending certain other anticompetitive practices; and
- Leveraging information technology to ensure Americans can access health care information at their fingertips, including data standards and privacy protections.
Outlook: While several members of Congress are asking House and Senate leadership to address these issues in the year-end omnibus legislation, it is unclear what, if any, health care-related provisions will be included in the final measure.