https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/faith-freedom-self-reliance/bipartisan-healthcare-transparency-cost * American Ideals + Patriotism & Unity + Faith, Freedom, Self-Reliance + Courage, Strength, Optimism + Equality Not Elitism + Community & Family + Fairness & Justice * News * Opinion * Video * About * More Washington Examiner Presents Restoring America Logo Menu * American Ideals + Patriotism & Unity + Faith, Freedom, Self-Reliance + Courage, Strength, Optimism + Equality Not Elitism + Community & Family + Fairness & Justice * News * Opinion * Video * About * More Bipartisanship Bipartisan legislation to mandate healthcare cost transparency passes House committee By Gabrielle M. Etzel, Healthcare Reporter [email] July 12, 2023 04:26 PM * [twitter]Twitter * [linkedin]LinkedIn * [facebook]Facebook * [email]Email * Print [print] Bipartisanship Bipartisan legislation to mandate healthcare cost transparency passes House committee By Gabrielle M. Etzel, Healthcare Reporter [email] July 12, 2023 04:26 PM * [twitter]Twitter * [linkedin]LinkedIn * [facebook]Facebook * [email]Email * Print [print] Virginia Foxx, Mark Takano Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, left, speaks in favor of Republican legislation that would prohibit transgender women and girls from playing on sports teams that match their gender identity, as the House Rules Committee prepares the measure for a floor vote, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, April 17, 2023. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., right, opposed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 which would amend Title IX, the federal education law that bars sex-based discrimination, to define sex as based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The House Committee on Education and the Workforce passed four bipartisan bills on Wednesday to address the problem of transparency in healthcare pricing and lower costs. "Dishonest billing, opaque rules, and shady industry practices have left patients paying higher costs for health care. Today's passage of our bipartisan health care package makes great strides towards giving clarity to patients and building a health care system that is more transparent, affordable, and accessible," Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said. INFLATION DROPS TO 3% IN MAJOR BOOST FOR BIDEN AND BIDENOMICS The bills target aspects of medical billing that were not clearly addressed in the No Surprises Act of 2021, which was intended to provide a solution to the problem of unexpected bills from out-of-network healthcare providers. In her opening statement at Wednesday's markup of the legislation, Foxx said that the new bills are not about "taking a chisel to the law; [they are about] using a fine brush to remove the excess dust and reveal the work underneath." The Hidden Fee Disclosure Act, HR 4508 , requires that providers give patients transparent cost data from price comparisons before providing treatment. The text of the bill explicitly addresses the role of pharmacy benefits managers, which play an integral role in the cost of prescription drugs. The Healthcare DATA Act, HR 4527 , complements HR 4508 by requiring healthcare practitioners to provide accurate data to insurance companies to share with consumers. The Transparency in Coverage Act, HR 4507 , codifies an existing Trump-era rule requiring health insurance plans to share with the public negotiated rates and cost-sharing estimates. Foxx said the rule has been a bipartisan "resounding success" that has already saved millions in healthcare costs, strengthening the need to put it into law. "The American people deserve to know the full picture of the prices they are asked to pay," said ranking member Bobby Scott (D-VA). Written by both Foxx and Scott, the Transparency in Billing Act, HR 4509 , ensures that hospitals provide detailed accounting for their charges and prevents the addition of facility fees unnecessarily. Last week, President Joe Biden introduced a sweep " Bidenomics " plan to lower healthcare costs, at which time the administration issued new guidance requiring insurance companies to better distinguish between in-network and out-of-network providers. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Thanking his colleagues from both parties for their work on Wednesday's legislation, Scott said the bipartisan efforts to mitigate the problems of rising healthcare costs could be a source of continued progress on other healthcare-related issues moving forward. "I am hopeful that our bipartisan work continues after today's mark-up to make our healthcare system work for patients and families," Scott said. More from Examiner * Amazon locks man out of account due to allegedly racist doorbell July 15, 2023 06:00 AM * Regulating the space economy is vital for America's continued global leadership July 15, 2023 06:00 AM * With affirmative action gone, is DEI next? July 15, 2023 06:00 AM Opinion FBI Director Christopher Wray gets the smackdown he so richly deserves By: Elizabeth Stauffer Elizabeth Stauffer The Left was wrong, wrong, wrong on cluster munitions By: Ted Bromund Republicans step up to lead on higher education reform By: Beth Akers Videos All Gender Restroom California Democrats want gender-neutral bathrooms mandatory in all K-12 schools Ron DeSantis, Manny Diaz, Manny Jr. DeSantis threatens removal of all AP high school classes in war with College Board Joe Biden Biden student loan forgiveness will cost $400 billion over 10 years, CBO estimates Newsletters Phone News Sign up now to get the Washington Examiner's breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. Bipartisanship Healthcare House Republicans House Democrats News News * [twitter]Twitter * [linkedin]LinkedIn * [facebook]Facebook * [email]Email * Print [print] Share your thoughts with friends. 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