WASHINGTON – Today, the Education and the Workforce Committee passed a comprehensive health care package comprised of four bills introduced by Committee Members: H.R. 4509, Transparency in Billing Act, H.R. 4507, Transparency in Coverage Act, H.R. 4527, Health DATA Act, and H.R. 4508, Hidden Fee Disclosure Act.
“Dishonest billing, opaque rules, and shady industry practices have left patients paying higher costs for health care. Today’s passage of our bipartisan health care package makes great strides towards giving clarity to patients and building a health care system that is more transparent, affordable, and accessible,” said Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC). “I thank Ranking Member Scott and my colleagues on the Committee for their work on these important bills.”
“Transparency in health care is essential for fostering meaningful competition, which keeps costs in check for both consumers and employers. The package of bipartisan health care bills the Committee on Education and the Workforce advanced is a meaningful step to shining a light on many of the commonplace, yet harmful, practices in the health care industry. Moreover, this package will help reduce costs for consumers and will help employers meet their obligation to ensure that their workers' premium dollars are spent carefully,” said Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott.“The American people deserve to know the full picture of the prices they are asked to pay. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for leading these proposals that will help ensure that health care costs are driven by those who provide the highest quality services—not those who have the most market power. And I am hopeful that our bipartisan work continues after today’s mark up to make our health care system work for patients and families.”
