Key bill—the PATIENT Act—clears committee unanimously

In a Full Committee markup today, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed bipartisan solutions to lower the cost of health care and increase price transparency, as well as improve farmers and pet owners' access to safe and effective animal drugs. 

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on the PATIENT Act: 

“Patients are frustrated. The system must be more simple, transparent, and affordable.   

"We spend more on health care as a percentage of our economy than any other developed nation.   

“And for their money, Americans are rewarded with a bureaucratic and overly burdensome system.  

“They see the corporations responsible for providing and paying for care go to great lengths to hide costs, deny payment for care, and weigh patients down in complexity.   

“What we are doing here today won’t solve every problem in our health care system.   

“I have said this is just a first step towards addressing the problems we face.   

“But we can be proud of the meaningful, bipartisan policies included in this amendment that will lower costs and improve transparency for patients.” 

Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY): 

“We’re also promoting access to care for vulnerable Americans who need lifesaving, one-of-a kind treatments.  

“My bill, the Medicaid VBPs for Patients Act, or the MVP Act, would provide access to the most innovative cures for Medicaid patients living with otherwise incurable or untreatable life-threatening conditions through value-based agreements.

“We are talking about patients dealing with diseases, such as sickle cell and debilitating bleeding disorders.  

“I want to personally thank Representative Eshoo for her leadership to take on this bill with me that will ultimately save lives and promote long-term savings for state Medicaid programs.” 

Legislative Vote Summary: 

• H.R. 1418, the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2023, sponsored by Reps. Greg Pence and Kim Schrier, was favorably reported, without amendment, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 49-0. 
• H.R. 2544, the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act, led by Reps. Larry Bucshon and Robin Kelly, was favorably reported, without amendment, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 49-0. 
• H.R. 2666, the Medicaid VBPs for Patients (MVP) Act, led by Reps. Brett Guthrie and Anna Eshoo, was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 31-19. 
• H.R. 3284, the Providers and Payers COMPETE Act, led by Reps. Michael Burgess and Debbie Dingell, was reported favorably, as amended, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 49-0. 
• H.R. 3290, To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to ensure transparency and oversight of the 340B drug discount program, led by Rep. Larry Bucshon, was favorably reported, as amended, to the House by a vote of 29-22. 
• H.R. 3561, the Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act of 2023 or the PATIENT Act of 2023, led by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Frank Pallone Jr., was favorably reported, as amended, to the House by a bipartisan vote of 49-0.