Chair Rodgers: Even More Crucial for Congress to Pass Price Transparency Law After Government Watchdog Finds Administration Failing to Enforce Current Rules

Oct 02, 2024

Washington, D.C. - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) issued the following statement after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirmedthat the Biden-Harris administration is failing to enforce the accuracy and completeness of prices posted under price transparency rules implemented by the former administration.

"The American people are facing ever increasing health care costs, yet the Biden-Harris administration is failing to ensure price transparency rules are followed and pricing information is accurate. Americans cannot wait any longer; Congress must act," said Chair Rodgers."The House passed the bipartisan Lower Costs, More Transparency Actto build upon and strengthen those rules, which more than 90 percent of Americans support. I will continue working with the Senate to pass this into law to provide patients with the information needed to make the right care decisions for themselves and their loved ones."

The GAO provided its analysisin response to a November 2022 bipartisan requestfrom then Committee Chair Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-NJ) and then Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

GAO KEY FINDINGS & SELECT QUOTES:

GAO found that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has not taken action to assess the accuracy and completeness of required price disclosures by hospitals and recommended that the CMS Administrator take action to do so.

"CMS has not assessed whether hospital price transparency machine-readable files are sufficiently complete and accurate to support program goals, and accordingly whether additional enforcement actions are needed. According to federal internal control standards, agencies should identify, analyze, and respond to risks related to achieving agency goals."

[...]

"The Administrator of CMS should assess whether hospital price transparency machine-readable files are sufficiently complete and accurate to be usable for supporting CMS's program goal and implement any additional cost-effective enforcement activities as needed. Such an assessment could include soliciting stakeholder feedback or conducting a study of hospital file completeness and accuracy."

LOWER COSTS, MORE TRANSPARENCY ACT:

After conducting bipartisan oversight of the transparency rule in the 117th Congress, Chair Rodgers led the bipartisan Lower Costs, More Transparency Act through regular order, culminating in the House passing it with 320 yes votes.

READ:

• The House Passed a Long-Needed Health Care Price Transparency Measure
• Bipartisan Lower Costs, More Transparency Act Saves Seniors Money, Strengthens Medicare
• How the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act Helps Patients
• Former Speaker Newt Gingrich: The one health care solution to protect everyone from outrageous medical bills
• Chair Rodgers: Health Care Price Transparency Will Make a Meaningful Difference for Patients
• Nearly 90 Percent of Americans Support Health Care Price Transparency

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