NE Washington News

Washington D.C. — The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, led by Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), recently convened to markup 23 legislative proposals aimed at strengthening the American health care system. These proposals are intended to extend access to telehealth services, preserve Medicaid, and foster innovation to assist children with rare diseases.

"Over the past several weeks, the Health Subcommittee has led the way bringing forward solutions to address some of the biggest challenges facing patients and our health care system," said Guthrie. He highlighted that the proposed legislation will facilitate patient access to life-saving cures, enable seniors to receive care from home, strengthen Medicaid for vulnerable patients, and support the workforce so every American can receive necessary care.

Guthrie noted that there are now FDA-approved therapies which are often the only treatments available for rare disease patients. He attributed this rapid development of therapies to the Pediatric Rare Disease Priority Review Voucher program established by Congress in 2012. Over 50 vouchers have been awarded as a result of this program, with 39 designated for pediatric rare diseases.

"I am glad we're considering legislation which would continue life-saving access to therapies for kids living with rare diseases who currently lack access to any treatments," Guthrie stated. He thanked Representative Bilirakis for his leadership on this legislation and urged colleagues to advance the bill to the full committee.

Discussing telehealth services for Medicaid recipients, Guthrie acknowledged how telehealth has transformed health care systems post-COVID-19 pandemic. He pointed out that over 30 million seniors on Medicare utilized telehealth services during the initial months of the pandemic. Although Congress extended these flexibilities beyond the Public Health Emergency, they are set to expire at year's end.

Guthrie thanked Representative Carter for his leadership on H.R. 7623, The Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024. This policy extends current telehealth flexibilities in their committee's jurisdiction for an additional two years and includes other reforms.

However, Guthrie expressed concern over the rise in improper payments in the Medicaid program, which reached $50 billion in 2022 alone. He noted that the Energy and Commerce Committee has been working on legislative solutions to stabilize the program, including four bills aimed at addressing key program integrity issues.

Lastly, Guthrie discussed legislation aimed at supporting the workforce and improving access to care nationwide. This includes the Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act and H.R. 468, the Building America’s Healthcare Workforce Act. He emphasized that these bills are critical given the severe workforce shortages facing the health care system.

"In closing, I would like to thank my colleagues for bringing forth the solutions we're advancing today," said Guthrie. "Patients, providers, and taxpayers will all greatly benefit from the important bipartisan work we are doing today."