Congressman Morgan Griffith, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered an opening statement on Mar. 18 at a hearing titled "Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of the U.S. Provider Landscape." The hearing is part of a series by the House Energy and Commerce Committee focused on health affordability.
The topic is significant as patients across the United States face rising health care costs and limited choices in providers due to market consolidation. The committee aims to explore ways to make both delivering and receiving care more affordable for Americans.
Griffith said, “Today we will discuss health care costs and patient access challenges by examining the health care provider landscape.” He noted that this was the third hearing in a series, following previous sessions with insurance executives and prescription drug supply chain stakeholders. Griffith highlighted that hospitals, large health systems, independent physician practices, federally qualified health centers, rural clinics, and community hospitals all play roles in providing care but are affected differently by ongoing changes in the industry.
He pointed out that consolidation has led to fewer options for patients: “It is no secret that across the country patients are faced with fewer choices about where they can receive care, as the provider market has consolidated dramatically.” Griffith also discussed how policies such as the Affordable Care Act have restricted growth for physician-owned hospitals built before 2010. He raised concerns about transparency in pricing and billing practices within the system.
The hearing included testimony from representatives of organizations such as the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, Purchaser Business Group on Health, University of California San Francisco neurosurgery department, and Barbara Merrill from the American Network of Community Options and Resources. Griffith said these witnesses would provide insights into factors driving high patient costs.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee addresses legislation related to energy, health care, environmental protection, telecommunications, and consumer issues according to its official website. The committee has influenced policy areas including energy innovation, broadband deployment, and pharmaceutical pricing according to its official website. It is one of the oldest standing committees in the U.S. House of Representatives according to its official website, tracing its origins back to 1795 when it began as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures according to its official website.
Griffith concluded his remarks by saying he looked forward to discussing solutions with witnesses who have unique perspectives on what drives high costs for patients.
