Chairs Smith (R-MO, Ways and Means), McMorris Rodgers (R-WA, Energy and Commerce), Foxx (R-NC, Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Pallone (D-NJ, Energy and Commerce) introduced the “Lower Costs, More Transparency Act.” This bill aims to increase health care price transparency and lower overall costs for patients and employers. This bill also extends community health center and other primary care workforce funding that is due to expire on Sept 30. LeadingAge is evaluating the proposal.

A couple of notable provisions for LeadingAge members include:

• Reports on Health Care Transparency Tools and Data. Requires GAO to report on existing and new health care price transparency requirements, compliance, enforcement, patient utilization, and whether requirements can be harmonized to reduce burden and duplication.
• Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit an annual report on the impact of Medicare regulations on health care consolidation and to analyze the effects of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation demonstrations on health care consolidation.
• Requires that Medicare Advantage organizations report to HHS certain information relating to health care providers, PBMs, and pharmacies with which they share common ownership. Additionally, this section requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) to study and report on vertical integration between Medicare Advantage organizations, health care providers, PBMs, and pharmacies and how this integration impacts beneficiary access, cost, quality, and outcomes.