Wednesday’s Hearing Marks the First Time That Physician-Led Hospitals Have Been Considered in a Hearing Since the 2010 Passage of the Affordable Care Act
Physician-Led Healthcare for America (PHA) applauds the decision by the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee to include the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2023, H.R. 977, in its April 26, 2023, subcommittee hearing, “Lowering Unaffordable Costs: Legislative Solutions to Increase Transparency and Competition in Health Care.”
“Physician-led hospitals complement the subcommittee’s hearing theme by offering high quality and efficient care that is coupled with increased patient access and cost containment,” Frederic Liss, PHA’s president, said. “Congress is searching for solutions to unleash competition in our nation’s healthcare markets, and the subcommittee will find that physician-led hospitals represent a tool that is ready to be used.”
Next week’s hearing will mark the first time that a Congressional committee has considered legislation that would remove the Affordable Care Act’s ban on new physician-led hospitals and the grandfather related to existing facilities. H.R. 977, which is authored by Congressman Michael Burgess, MD, and Congressman Henry Cuellar and co-sponsored by 29 members of Congress, would lift the ban by repealing Sections 6001 and 10601 of the Affordable Care Act.
Liss went on to state:
“Medicare allows the physician ownership of ambulatory surgery centers, imaging, physical therapy and in many other circumstances. Physician ownership is allowed because it leads to efficiency, high quality of care for patients and much needed competition that drives down cost. Our nation’s healthcare system has reached the point in which Americans are facing untenable costs, and it’s clear that it is time to remove the arbitrary ban on physician-led hospitals to spur competition.”
Click here to view PHA’s statement for the record.
Physician-Led Healthcare for America (PHA) promotes, educates, and advocates for exceptional patient-centered care through physician leadership. Founded in 2001, PHA advocates for the interests of physician-owned hospitals, physician-led facilities, physician-led practices and other physician-led initiatives at the federal, state and local levels. The organization also supports its members in their efforts to advance the quality and availability of healthcare in their specific communities.