12.20.2024 /

Families USA Statement on Congress Passing Year-End Bill that Fails to Act on Critical Health Care Priorities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, today released the following statement condemning Congress’ failure to act on critical health care priorities on behalf of America’s families.

“In this holiday season year-end legislative package, Congress delivered a lump of coal to voters who had pleaded for help with the high cost of living, including health care. While it is good news that Congress ultimately took action to prevent a government shutdown, that was the bare minimum of their responsibility to the American people – and should never have come into question in the first place. This end-of-year package is most notable for what is not in it–several desperately needed, bipartisan solutions that would have helped contain health care costs. Instead, Congress caved to billionaires and special interests. This lack of action is appalling, especially at a time when families across the country are struggling with rising and exorbitant health care costs, and over 100 million Americans are already burdened with medical debt.

“Congress had all of the pieces in place to pass a bipartisan package that would begin to lower health care costs and provide more financial stability for families. Instead, they disregarded their constituents’ health and economic security by walking away from vetted, commonsense solutions.

“Extending the enhanced tax credits that help Americans pay their health insurance premiums, improving health care price transparency, and requiring hospitals to charge the same price for the same service, regardless of where patients receive care, would have provided such relief. In the back and forth of the last few days, Congress deleted provisions that would have fixed abusive practices related to drug patents and pharmacy benefit managers, and provided long-term funding extensions for community health centers, teaching health centers and incentives for provider participation in payment models that promote high-value care. Congress failed to act on these urgent health needs, which would have provided relief to families and marked important progress in our work for a more high-value, affordable, and accessible health system.

“Disappointed but not deterred, Families USA will continue working to stop big health care corporations from price gouging our nation’s families and patients with impunity and we urge the next Congress to drive commonsense, bipartisan reforms to lower costs and improve quality. Now is the time for them to heed the patient and public outcry for these and other solutions.”