ICYMI: Congressman Bean Hosts Health Summit in D.C. on Hospital Reimbursement

WASHINGTON-On Thursday, February 5, U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) hosted the second installment of his Path to Consensus Series, this time tackling hospital reimbursement, a critical issue affecting access to care, hospital sustainability, and patient outcomes nationwide. The event featured two expert panels and a keynote address by Brittany Madni, Executive Vice President for the Economic Policy Innovation Center, exploring how reimbursement policies impact costs, quality, and the long-term stability of the healthcare system.

Panelists engaged in rigorous discussions on potential reforms to the American healthcare system, including changes to the 340B program and site-neutral payments, demonstrating that open, honest dialogue is key to meaningful reform.

About the event, Congressman Bean said, "Hospital reimbursement is the next major fight in healthcare-this is where real cost savings and meaningful reform happen. If we're serious about transforming America's healthcare system, we must have honest conversations about what is and isn't working. That means addressing 340B, site-neutral payments, and the incentives that drive up costs, because patients, not the system, must come first."

BACKGROUND

Thursday's panels examined some of the most controversial reimbursement policies, asking whether 340B still serves as a charity care program or has become a profit center, and whether it makes sense to pay hospitals more based on location rather than value. What sets these conversations apart is who's in the room: hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, budget hawks, and conservative reformers-all with different perspectives-coming together to tackle the structural issues that drive up healthcare costs.

Panel: 340B - Making Charity Care Easier on Hospital Systems or Wealthier?

• Shayne Woods, Vice President, Alpine Group Partners (Moderator)
• Bharath Krishnamurthy, Director of Pharmaceutical Policy, American Hospital Association
• Karyn Schwartz, Senior Vice President of Policy & Research Development, PhRMA

Panel: Location, Location, Location - A Conversation About Site-Neutral Payments

• Chris Jones, Director of Federal Government Relations, BIO (Moderator)
• Mary Mayhew, President and CEO, Florida Hospital Association
• Dr. Asmita Mishra, MD, MBA, Medical Director of Payer Strategies, Moffitt Cancer Center
• Michael Baker, Director of Health Care Policy, American Action Forum
• Anna Bonelli, Director of Health Policy, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

The Path to Consensus Series will continue this year with additional sessions, each focusing on a different aspect of America's healthcare system.

To watch the livestream, click HERE.

###