Washington D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein this morning for a discussion on the importance of increasing health care transparency to drive down costs for patients. 

As Chair Rodgers said, “This is a 95% positive issue for people when they hear about price transparency for health care. They support it. They believe that it's needed.” 

Watch it here and check out key highlights of Chair Rodgers’ remarks below. 

ON THE LOWER COSTS, MORE TRANSPARENCY ACT: 

“I'm 100% committed to getting this bill up for consideration on the floor, passed out of the House, and ultimately onto the President's desk. 

“I’m really, really proud of the work that has been done around this legislation. It passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously. 

“I'm proud to Chair this Committee. This Committee has a rich history of plowing the hard ground necessary to legislate, and that's what we've done on this bill. 

“This is a very important first step when we talk about price transparency. We've worked hard with the Ways and Means Committee, the Education and the Workforce Committee. We're working with Leadership to get this bill out of the House. 

“I also am really grateful to Ranking Member Pallone for his work and partnership in bringing the bill this far and we're committed to getting it done.” 

ON PRICE TRANSPARENCY:   

“I have a hospital in my district that has embraced this. They’re working with local employers and really looking at how can reimbursements be targeted to make sure that we're driving down costs for seniors for patients. 

“Our goal is to really get price transparency within the health care system, whether it's hospitals, health plans, or PBMs. Price transparency is really important to accountability and ultimately to empowering patients and doctors to be making these decisions.” 

ON EMPOWERING PATIENTS: 

“One of my colleagues said it best when I was talking to him about it recently. He said ‘You know, in America, we know the price for everything that we buy. And as consumers, we're able to go out and make decisions based upon what the prices are. And in health care, we need that too.’ 

“We need, as individuals, to be empowered with the prices. That is one of the best things that we could do to bring back the decision-making to the patient and the doctor, which is my goal in this huge health care system to really get to the core issues on what's driving the cost of health care. 

“We continue to see health care costs increasing, and we need to address what's driving the cost of health care. We've seen a lot of consolidation, and it is not bringing down the cost of health care.  

“This is a very important first step to really look at how we address the rising cost of health care and make sure that we're protecting the decision-making between the patient and the doctor.” 

ON ENSURING COMPLIANCE: 

“Part of the reason this legislation is important is so that we have data that can be used most effectively. And the continued focus on making sure that the hospitals and others in this legislation—the health insurance companies, PBMs—are also in compliance. 

“But we also have more stories because of price transparency today, of individuals and employers that are making decisions that are benefiting seniors and are bringing down the actual cost that they're having to pay out-of-pocket and as employers. 

“I have employers in my district, but there's others around the country, that are also seeing those savings, because they're able to make a value-based decision, but also based upon on the price.” 

CLICK HERE for more on the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. 

CLICK HERE for how the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act helps patients.