As House Ways & Means Explores Health Care Costs, USofCare Urges Need For Hospital Pricing Reforms

Washington, DC — Today, the House Ways & Means Committee held a hearing exploring the role hospitals play in rising health care costs. During this hearing, members discussed the high prices set by hospitals, as well as the regulatory loopholes that have incentivized the hospital sector to accelerate consolidation and further drive up prices for patients who are left with unaffordable care and more limited access to services. In response, United States of Care issued the following statement:

“The need for hospital pricing reforms – including establishing site-neutral payment policy and common sense limits on facility fees – is clearer than ever after today’s hearing,” said Lisa Hunter, Senior Director of Federal Policy & Advocacy at United States of Care. “Health care is too expensive, and hospitals and the impact of hospital consolidation are a major driver of this affordability crisis. As we heard in our most recent polling, over two-thirds of people want Congress to actually do something about it, even if it means regulating health care companies. And over three-fourths believe a candidate’s position on addressing the cost of health care is important to them in this year’s election.”

“It’s critical that Congress enact the solutions that were discussed today: targeted, popular, state-tested, bipartisan policy solutions like banning facility fees in non-hospital settings or for telehealth and routine services, ending the practice of charging more for the same service based on the location of that service, and requiring hospitals to post prices to deliver fairness, transparency, and affordability for people.”

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