Senate Hearing Signals Urgent Need to Improve Health Care Transparency and Competition - Families USA Skip to Main Content
07.11.2024 / Press Release

Senate Hearing Signals Urgent Need to Improve Health Care Transparency and Competition

Patients, families and employer groups call for bipartisan solutions from the Senate following today’s hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sophia Tripoli, Families USA’s Senior Director of Health Policy is testifying today before the Senate Committee on Aging about the need for immediate Congressional action to lower the high and rising cost of health care for America’s patients and families. The hearing occurs as millions of families are struggling with medical debt or are delaying or avoiding necessary medical care due to the high cost.

“No one in America should have to choose between going to see their doctor and buying groceries to feed their family, yet almost half of all Americans don’t get needed medical care because of the cost, and 48 million older Americans fear they won’t be able to afford lifesaving care,” said Tripoli in her testimony.

“Every American knows that we pay too much for the health care we get. But many Americans don’t know why. Because health care industry consolidation, particularly among hospitals, has eliminated competition and allowed monopolistic pricing to push our nation’s families to the brink of financial ruin.”

Tripoli continued, “Congress has used its power to rein in the corporate abuses of big oil, big tobacco, big banks and big tech. Last year, the Senate examined how to protect people from the price gouging for concert tickets. It is past time to scrutinize big health care corporations and protect families in America from the greed of medical monopolies.”

In addition, the Consumers for Fair Hospital Pricing coalition and the Consumers First alliance – organizations representing families, workers, employers, and health care consumers across the United States – called on the Senate Committee on Aging to advance bipartisan policies this year. Those organizations specifically asked for action on reforms that will:

  • Achieve meaningful price transparency in health care.
  • Establish site neutral pricing to prevent people from paying more for the same care just because it was performed in a hospital setting rather than a doctor’s office.
  • Prohibit anti-competitive practices that keep health care prices unfairly high for patients and families.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act in December, which included several bipartisan provisions that will improve health care price transparency and address pricing abuses that lead to unaffordable care. The Senate has yet to take action on that legislation or its provisions.

Tripoli’s written testimony is available for download here.

The coalition letter to the committee is available here.

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Families USA, a leading national voice for health care consumers, is dedicated to the achievement of high quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.