Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee presented seven proposals to the subcommittee on health markups. Their objective is to reduce healthcare costs while increasing transparency in pricing, to responsibly fund community health centers and diabetes research, prevent harmful cuts to hospitals serving vulnerable patients, help train more doctors in the region, and improve the quality of care.
Chair Kathy McMorris-Rogers (R.W.) stated in her opening remarks that “The Energy and Commerce Commission will continue to cultivate tough soil on the most important issues before us as a nation, by ensuring that people can find the care they need at a price they can afford.”
During the hearing, the Health Subcommittee took action on several bills, including HR 1418, which was led by Rep. Greg Pence (R-Ind.) and his 2023 Animal Drug Fee Amendment. It was sent by the subcommittee to all committees as amended, passing 29-0 in the bipartisan roll call vote. HR 2544, the United States Organ Procurement and Securing Transplant Network Act, was led by Larry Buchon (R-Ind.) and passed from subcommittee to full committee without amendment by bipartisan roll call vote 28-0.
HR Rogers led the Transparency Pricing Act No. 3281 and submitted it to all committees as an amendment by a 27-to-0 bipartisan roll call vote. HR 2666, the Medicaid for Patients VBP (MVP) Act, was led by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R, Kentucky), amended from Subcommittee to Full Committee by Bipartisan Roll Call Vote of 16 to 11 and was sent to HR 3285, the Patient Drug Equity Act, led by Rep. Morgan Griffiths (R-VA), passed by voice vote from subcommittee to full committee without amendment.
HR 3284, the Health Provider and Payer Competition Act, led by a congressman Michael Burgess (Republican-Texas) passed from the subcommittee to the full committee without amendment by a bipartisan roll call vote of 27-0. HR 3290, which Amends Title III of the Public Health Services Act to Ensure Transparency and Oversight, was led by Rep. Larry Buchon (R-Ind.) and sent from the subcommittee to the full committee without amendment.
It should be noted that much of the bill that was originally mentioned has been included in the Amendments to HR 3281 Substitute Nature.