Health

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled  Policies to Protect Our Communities from Illicit Drug Threats . Subcommittee Chairman Griffith’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “In today’s hearing we will discuss fourteen bills aimed at protecting Americans from illicit drug threats. “Illicit drugs continue to pose a serious and evolving challenge to American safety and national security—fueling overdose deaths, increasing crime, and putting immense pressure on law enforcement and public health systems. “So far this Congress, we have gotten strong policies across the finish line to crack down on the illicit drugs crisis that we see across the country. However, there is still more to be done to protect our communities from these lethal substances. “This is an issue that affects particularly Virginia, and Appalachia, who have unfortunately been impacted by the opioid epidemic. “I hear countless stories across my district of individuals taking illicit drugs and mixing them with drugs we will be discussing today like xylazine and fentanyl. Many of these illicit drugs are coming from illegal pill presses often with ingredients coming from China. “Our local law enforcement have been on the front lines battling this crisis and this hearing will give us the opportunity to build on the work this subcommittee did in passing the HALT Fentanyl Act, led by myself and Mr. Latta, and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, led by Chairman Guthrie. The President signed both of these pieces of legislation into law last year. “We will examine H.R. 1266, the Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act, led by Representative Pfluger from Texas. This bill would classify Xylazine as Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, while also protecting its legitimate use in large animal veterinary medicine. “This is extremely important for my district because, according to the National Cattlemen’s Association, Virginia’s Ninth District is the largest cattle-producing Congressional district east of the Mississippi River. “H.R. 5630, an important data collection issue that is championed by Representative Houchin from Indiana, would require enhanced data collection and reporting for opioid use disorder diversion data as part of a State’s plans for their Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services block grants. “H.R. 2004 Tyler’s Law is led by Representative Latta from Ohio. The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to complete a study on how frequently hospitals test for fentanyl in patients experiencing an overdose and then use its results to issue guidance on implementing fentanyl testing in emergency rooms. “Also introduced by Representative Latta is H.R. 7970, the Strengthening Tools to Outlaw Poisonous (STOP) Nitazenes Act, which would permanently schedule nitazenes as Schedule I controlled substances. “H.R. 8000, the End Needless Distribution (END) of 7-OH Act led by Representative Bilirakis from Florida would regulate synthetic versions of 7-OH as a Schedule I controlled substance. “Representative Hageman from Wyoming champions H.R. 5880, the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, which would add a serialization requirement for pill presses and punches. “H.R. 1227, the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (or PAIN) Act led by Representative Miller Meeks from Iowa and Representative Barragan from California, which I am a cosponsor of, would expand access for seniors to non-opioid pain management options in Medicare Part D. “H.R. 2715, the Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act introduced by Representatives Higgins and Carter from Louisiana, would grant the FDA authority to destroy any FDA-regulated products that pose a significant risk to U.S. public health at our ports. “We will also be discussing other bills that deal with addressing this illicit drug issue and while some of these bills may need further work, it is critical that we continue to look for ways to restrict access to lethal and dangerous substances in order to protect American lives, strengthen public safety, and prevent further harm to families and communities nationwide. “I   look forward to hearing from our witnesses before us and to the discussion.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, led a hearing titled Policies to Protect Our Communities from Illicit Drug Threats . “I hear countless stories across my district of individuals taking illicit drugs and mixing them with drugs we discussed today, like xylazine and fentanyl,” said Chairman Griffith.   “While some of these bills may need further work, it is critical that we continue to look for ways to restrict access to lethal and dangerous substances in order to protect American lives, strengthen public safety, and prevent further harm to families and communities nationwide.” Watch the full hearing  here . Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing: Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) on H.R. 1266, the  Combating Illicit Xylazine Act : “Under the leadership of President Trump, we have finally closed our Southern Border and made all Americans safer by that action. However, we all recognize there is more work to be done, and I am pleased to see many pieces of legislation that are being considered today that will do exactly that. First, xylazine, referred to as “tranq”, is now reported to be the most commonly mixed alternate drug being stored and transferred and mixed and sold with heroin, with fentanyl, with cocaine. When I talk to the coroners at home and I ask them which drug is most commonly being used in South Central Pennsylvania, they say, ‘I’ll tell you what it’s being mixed with, it’s being mixed with tranq.’ And then it’s a polymorphous mixture of drugs that come in with it. I’d like to really publicly express my strong support for H.R. 1266, The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, led by Representatives Panetta and Pfluger, which would permanently schedule this substance while providing the necessary safe harbor for its continued legitimate veterinary use.” Congressman Neal Dunn, M.D. (FL-02) on H.R. 7184, the  PRESS Act :  “You know, in 2025, the CDC reported an estimated 72,000 deaths from overdose, so think about that for a minute; 72,000 peoples’ souls lost. You know, it highlights the brokenness of our system. I think we can fix this. I think the bills before us today represent some real, concrete solutions to address the crisis that has claimed more American lives than any war in modern history. Fentanyl alone accounts for an estimated 45,000 deaths in 2025, and that threat is not static; it’s evolving. It’s changing. As we’ve discussed today, it’s almost faster than our regulatory framework can track. And I’m aware that there’s many problems that cause this, but I want to focus on the sort of upstream sources right now. This is not just a domestic public health problem. This is a national security issue, and it has a return address. The Chinese Communist Party has subsidized and incentivized the chemical companies in our country to export fentanyl and all these other related precursors to produce synthetic opioids and whatnot that are illicitly sold in the United States. And I don’t think this is negligence. This is policy.” Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) on H.R. 1227, the Alternatives to Pain Act :  “Increasing access to opioid alternatives not only can reduce the cost of medical care but can also improve patient outcomes. One of my constituents from Iowa city, John Greenwood’s story, exemplifies this strategy. John is the Chief Strategy Officer of Goldfinch Health, an organization that launched the Billion Pill Pledge to help reduce the number of opioids left over after surgery by 1 billion. John trains health care professionals about optimal pain management, but this work is also personal to him because his son was born with a missing bone in his skull and has required 13 operations in five years. By utilizing only non-opioid therapeutics, his son was able to get through a seven-hour skull operation and recover with zero complaints about the pain while being treated at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. Because of his son’s recovery, which was smooth and comfortable, he was able to be discharged from the hospital four days early. This also saved the health care system and the family thousands of dollars in NICU costs alone. My bill, the Alternatives to Pain Act, is written to ensure more patients get this approach and reduce the risk of addiction from prescription opioids.”   ###

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – This week, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is holding two Subcommittee Hearings and one Full Committee Markup. Read more below.  FULL COMMITTEE MARKUP: The Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a markup of two bills to reauthorize FirstNet and modernize the emergency alert system.  DATE:  Wednesday, March 25, 2026   TIME:  10:15 AM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding a hearing to review the 1996 Telecom Act.   DATE:  Thursday, March 26, 2026   TIME:  10:15 AM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING:  The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health is holding a hearing on how the Committee is cracking down on illicit drug threats in order to protect Americans families and keep communities safe.  DATE:  Thursday, March 26, 2026  TIME:  2:00 PM ET  LOCATION:  2123 Rayburn House Office Building  ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, are continuing their ongoing investigation into waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicaid programs by sending letters to ten additional states to request information and documents on the actions each state is taking to strengthen Medicaid program integrity. These requests come amidst reports and law enforcement actions that have demonstrated high levels of Medicaid fraud across numerous states. For example, in Massachusetts, a woman pleaded guilty to fraudulently billing MassHealth for $500,000 in Personal Care Attendant, home health, and adult foster care services after enrolling disabled, elderly, and homeless people in services without their knowledge or consent and billing Medicaid as their caretaker despite not providing these services. In Colorado, two individuals were charged in separate cases for defrauding Health First Colorado’s non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) program. The first defendant allegedly billed over $1 million in NEMT rides—$400,000 of which were billed for rides for herself and family members, and most of which were not associated with transportation to medical appointments. The second defendant billed Health First Colorado for $3.3 million in NEMT rides, including $283,000 for 64 rides for a single beneficiary, $165,000 of which occurred after the beneficiary had died. In Oregon, a woman was sentenced to federal prison for using stolen identities to submit fraudulent health care claims to Oregon’s Medicaid Program, totaling over $3 million and triggering $1.5 million in fraudulent Medicaid reimbursements. In New York, two individuals involved in a Brooklyn-based scheme involving adult day cares and home health  pleaded guilty   to $68 million in Medicaid fraud over a seven-year period. In addition, two men in Queens who owned adult daycare centers and a pharmacy  were recently charged  with $120 million in alleged Medicaid and Medicare fraud schemes. This included illegal kickbacks to Medicaid recipients to fill prescriptions at their pharmacies and enroll in their adult day care. It’s no secret that Medicaid fraud schemes have possibly cost the program billions of dollars annually across the country. These schemes contribute greatly to rising health care costs and strain our health care system, all at the expense of Medicaid beneficiaries and taxpayers. The Committee on Energy and Commerce is committed to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in our government health programs like Medicaid to ensure Americans who need them get the quality, affordable care they deserve. Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Griffith issued the following statements regarding the ongoing investigation: “Fraud shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It's our most vulnerable Americans who are most at risk from fraudsters diverting precious resources intended for critical, needed care , ” said Chairman Guthrie. “ We owe it to our fellow Americans to preserve the Medicaid program for those that need it most, and states have an important role to play in ensuring that Medicaid programs operate with integrity. The Committee will continue to combat rampant waste, fraud, and abuse across the entire country.” "Medicaid was established to ensure the most vulnerable Americans are never left behind. That is why fraud and abuse within Medicaid will not be tolerated. Medicaid fraud robs both taxpayers and patients, and we will pursue it wherever it hides," said Rep. John Joyce, M.D. "Expanding this investigation is part of our responsibility in Congress to ensure that the government upholds the standards it was created to serve. Our Committee will work diligently to strengthen the integrity of the Medicaid system and to ensure that those who engage in fraudulent misuse or abuse are held fully accountable." “Americans support federal health care programs that serve American communities, not fraudsters! Led by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, this latest series of letters is the next step in our investigations to protect our social safety net programs and secure them for the most vulnerable Americans,” said Rep. Griffith. “Republicans in Congress will continue to do the necessary legwork to investigate allegations of waste, fraud and abuse within our Medicaid system.” BACKGROUND: In January, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, wrote to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and the Temporary Commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services, Shireen Gandhi, requesting communications, documents, and information to better understand the ongoing Medicaid fraud occurring in the state of Minnesota and actions the state is taking to strengthen program integrity. On February 3, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing titled Common Schemes, Real Harm: Examining Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid . During this hearing, expert witnesses testified on common examples of Medicaid fraud schemes and the potential scale of fraud in Medicaid programs nationwide. Now, as part of the Committee’s ongoing efforts to address Medicaid fraud, the Committee sent letters to CA , CO , MA , ME , NE , NY , OR , PA , VT , and WA . Each of these states displayed concerning cases of Medicaid fraud over the last several years. The purpose of this investigation is to assess the extent of fraud in state Medicaid programs and understand what states are doing to address the issue and protect the integrity of Medicaid for Americans. Read More About this Ongoing Investigation: CLICK HERE to read the New York Post's exclusive coverage of the letter.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01), Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, and Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, authored ** a letter ** to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) requesting a meeting on the concerning evidence detailed in the letter that points to large-scale, ongoing Medicare fraud in Los Angeles County, along with what action is being taken to address the situation.

“The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has an extensive history of digging deeper into matters where program integrity has been compromised. This letter is crucial in our commitment to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in federal health care programs,” said Chairmen Guthrie, Joyce, and Griffith. “Republicans have spent much of this Congress furthering legislation to protect our most vulnerable Americans—especially seniors, but our work is not done. Continued oversight is crucial to uphold the integrity of programs that serve our most vulnerable populations. We applaud the ongoing work being conducted by HHS-OIG in cracking down on the fraud that has occurred, and we look forward to addressing the larger-scale scheme that is draining public resources from Americans who need these services the most.”

“Medicare home health and hospice fraud directly undermines the safety and reliability of care for America’s most vulnerable seniors. Auditors have reported an unprecedented jump in home health and hospice fraud in Los Angeles County, California – including one report showing 112 different hospices located at the same physical address. With $1.2 billion in improper payments in home health claims and the Inspector General reporting $198 million in suspected hospice fraud, Gavin Newsom’s California could just as well be another Minnesota,” said Chairman Smith. “The Ways and Means Committee will not hesitate to use our broad oversight authority to get to the bottom of this and protect taxpayers and vulnerable patients against these bad actors.”

BACKGROUND:

Evidence has strongly suggested large-scale Medicare fraud involving home health agencies (HHA) and hospice agencies in Los Angeles County, California, noting that such practices not only drain public resources but also compromise the quality of care provided to patients, especially those most vulnerable populations.

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) found that the 2023 improper payment error rate for home health claims was 7.7 percent, or about $1.2 billion, in 2023.
• In terms of hospice care, HHS OIG reported suspected hospice fraud to be an estimated $198.1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2023.
• CMS has placed HHAs as an area of high risk for Medicare fraud.

Emerging concerns over Medicare fraud in the HHAs and hospice sector highlights heightened activity, specifically in Los Angeles County.

• From 2019 through June 2023, HHAs in the U.S. decreased from 8,838 to 8,280 (6 percent), while, at the same time, HHAs in Los Angeles County increased from 896 to 1,309 (46 percent).
• More than 1,400 new Los Angeles County HHAs enrolled in Medicare in the last five years, representing over 50 percent of all HHAs in the state of California and nearly 14 percent of all HHAs in the country.

Based on data from the March 2022 California State Auditor’s Report and from HHS on hospice ownership, Los Angeles County had more than 31 percent of the hospice agencies in the U.S. in 2022.

• There were approximately 58 million seniors in the U.S. in 2022, with Los Angeles County having approximately 1.49 million seniors (2.5 percent).
• The report highlighted indicators that included a “rapid, disproportionate growth in the number of hospice agencies” and “excessive geographic clustering of hospice agencies,” noting that 112 different licensed hospice agencies were located at the same physical address.
• State auditors in California estimated that hospice agencies in Los Angeles County likely overbilled Medicare by $105 million in 2019.

These accounts of widespread fraud occurring in Los Angeles County’s HHAs and hospice agencies have raised concerns about whether home health and hospice Accrediting Organizations (AO) are effectively examining such organizations at the time of their enrollment in Medicare.

• In November 2024, CMS issued a Quality, Safety, and Oversight memo to surveyors, reminding them to closely inspect hospices’ Medicare enrollment documents to understand changes in ownership and location, but neglecting to encourage AOs to pursue other commonsense antifraud measures.

In April 2025, HHS OIG announced that the Office of Audit Services would compile a report for FY 2026 to identify trends, patterns, and comparisons that could indicate potential vulnerabilities related to new Medicare hospice provider enrollments.

In May 2025, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force—a joint task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including HHS OIG—** announced multiple arrests ** following a multi-year investigation into Armenian Organized Crime, which dismantled five hospices in the greater Los Angeles area.

On November 28, 2025, CMS ** announced ** the Calendar Year 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule, providing comments that suggest an interest in addressing the aforementioned accounts of fraud.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr., (NJ-06), along with Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman John Joyce, MD (PA-13), and Ranking Member Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), wrote to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) requesting a briefing on its ongoing oversight of patient safety in our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system.   In July, the Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing in response to a HRSA investigative report that found patient safety concerns at Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KYDA) – the organ procurement organization (OPO) serving the state of Kentucky. In the investigative report, HRSA revealed that of the 351 cases reviewed, 103 cases (29.3 percent) showed “concerning features.” These concerning features included problems with patient-family interactions, medical assessments and team interactions, recognition of high neurologic function, and recognition and documentation of drugs in records.   In addition, HRSA issued a corrective action plan to address the findings in its report specific to KYDA and directing the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Board of Directors to develop certain safety guidelines for the entire OPTN. The corrective action plan raised further questions about the possibility that there may be more systemic issues at OPOs across the country, noting that “ [s]ince the review of KYDA was initiated, HRSA has received reports of similar patterns of high risk [donation after circulatory death] procurement practices at other OPOs .” Moreover, during the July hearing, HRSA’s Organ Transplant Branch Chief, Dr. Raymond Lynch was questioned about the potential failure to adhere to existing protocols by Rep. Erin Houchin (IN-09): “ is it a broader systemic issue or is it limited to KYDA ?” Dr. Lynch responded that “ [u]nfortunately, it is not limited to KYDA. During the course of this investigation we received concerns that were in areas served by other OPOs. ”  Chairmen Guthrie and Joyce and Ranking Members Pallone and Clarke issued the following joint statement:    “ The Committee’s examination of the organ procurement and transplant system has demonstrated the need for further oversight.  Testimony from the July hearing, HRSA’s investigative report and corrective action plan, and continued reports of similar patterns at other OPOs all raise serious concerns. The American people should be able to have full faith and confidence in our organ donor and transplant system, and we will continue to work together to prevent these harmful practices from continuing. Americans’ confidence in the system comes when patient safety is protected. ”    Read the full letter  here . Background:  ·       During the 118th Congress, the Committee on Energy and Commerce  passed  the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act to both modernize the OPTN and allow HRSA to institute a competitive contracting process to find the best contractors for various OPTN functions. This legislation was signed into law on September 22, 2023.   ·       On March 20, 2024, the Committee  launched an investigation  into the organ procurement and transplantation system by sending  a letter  to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) requesting information related to concerns surrounding data security and operability, patient safety and equity, and conflicts of interest.    ·       On March 20, 2024, the Committee also sent  a letter  to HRSA requesting information related to implementation of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act as well as other concerns related to effective oversight and management.   ·       On September 11, 2024, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a  hearing  that focused on the implementation of reforms at the OPTN, including the need for stronger oversight and accountability as well as ongoing patient safety concerns.   ·       During the hearing, questions were raised related to allegations of mismanagement and patient safety concerns after patients began exhibiting signs of increased neurologic function after being previously deemed suitable as an organ donation candidate. Several of these allegations, particularly those related to patient safety, were later substantiated through the findings contained in HRSA’s March 2025 report.   ·       On March 24, 2025, HRSA’s Division of Transplantation issued a  report  that summarized the findings of its investigation into KYDA, the OPO now known as Network for Hope, which serves Kentucky and parts of Ohio, West Virgina, and Indiana.  ·       On May 28, 2025, HRSA issued a  CAP  to OPTN, which directed the OTPN to take specific actions within a specified period of time, including developing a 12-month OPTN monitoring plan for KYDA to address concerns identified. The corrective action plan also requires the OPTN to propose policies for public comment to improve safeguards for potential donation after circulatory death (DCD) patients in the organ procurement process and increase information shared with patient families regarding DCD organ procurement.   ·       On July 22, 2025, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a  hearing  examining concerning practices within our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system that were identified by HRSA’s investigation.   ###