As Congress considers harmful cuts to the social safety net through the partisan budget reconciliation process, Families USA is continuing to urge policymakers to take a different direction outside of reconciliation to advance bipartisan policies that make health care more affordable. We invite you to join us in this sign on letter urging Congress to address the high and rising health care costs that are threatening the health and financial well-being of our nation’s families, workers, employers, small businesses, and communities. Please sign on no later than EOD Wednesday, March 5.
Specifically, this letter urges policymakers to pursue pro-consumer and bipartisan reforms to the health care system that will address high and rising health care costs and provide relief for consumers by doing the following:
Strengthening hospital and health plan price transparency by requiring all hospitals and health plans to disclose their negotiated rates in dollars and cents.
Ending dishonest hospital billing to ensure that big hospital corporations are not overcharging in outpatient settings, saving an estimated $403 million over ten years.
Enacting a comprehensive same service, same price policy to stop big hospital corporations from charging more for the same care, and shifting patients to higher-cost care settings, saving an estimated $157 billion over ten years.
Prohibiting anti-competitive contracting including between providers and insurers that limits patients’ access to alternative sources of health care, which is estimated to save as much as $194 billion over ten years.
Requiring greater transparency around the role of private equity and corporate ownership in health care to ensure all Americans, including those in rural communities, have access to the health care they need at a price they can afford.
This is an important moment for all of us as advocates to send a clear message to Congress that they must address the real drivers of unaffordable care without undermining the core commitments of public and private health coverage that the American people rely on. Your voice is extremely important in these collective efforts.
Thank you, and please let me know if you have any questions.
