The Network Submits Written Testimony for House Budget Committee Hearing on Health Care Consolidation

On May 23, 2024, the House Budget Committee held a hearing entitled, “Breaking Up Health Care Monopolies: Examining the Budgetary Effects of Health Care Consolidation.”

In written testimony submitted for the hearing record, The Network explained how current disparities in reimbursement between hospital-owned physician practices and independent physician practices create an unlevel playing field and incentivize consolidation in oncology. This is shifting care from the physician office setting to the more expensive hospital outpatient setting and leading to higher costs for patients, insurers, employers, and taxpayers.

Advocating for site neutral payments, The Network said, “Today, our national debt is approaching $35 trillion and mandatory healthcare spending is a key driver of this debt. Four in 10 Americans report having debt due to medical or dental bills. If a service can be safely provided in the lower-cost physician office setting, there is no reason that Medicare patients or American taxpayers should be paying two to six times more for the exact same service in the HOPD setting.”

To read The Network’s written testimony, CLICK HERE.

To read more about the hearing and view clips, CLICK HERE.