Council calls on Congress to take action on health care measures before year-end

December 11, 2024
NR 2024-12

For additional information:
Jason Hammersla
jhammersla@abcstaff.org/202-422-4652

WASHINGTON, DC – “With the end of the 119th Congress rapidly approaching, lawmakers are running out of time to lower health care costs and improve telehealth access for millions of working families,” said Ilyse Schuman, the American Benefits Council’s senior vice president, health and paid leave policy.

“Right now, there are a number of bipartisan bills ready to be included in a year-end legislative package that would measurably improve health care affordability and access,” Schuman said. “We urge Congress to incorporate these measures and enact them before the end of the year.”

The Council recently sent a very comprehensive letter to congressional leadership outlining several legislative measures deserving of enactment, including:

• The Lower Costs, More Transparency (LCMT) Act (H.R. 5378), which includes provisions to increase price transparency, promote site-neutral payment reform and ensure fair hospital billing practices.
• The Healthy Competition for Better Care Act (H.R. 3120), which restricts anti- competitive contracting provisions that limit employers' efforts to promote high-value care.
• Legislation to provide for greater transparency and oversight of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
• The Telehealth Expansion Act (H.R. 1843 / S. 1001), extending flexibility for high-deductible health plans to cover telehealth services pre-deductible. (A recent Public Opinion Strategies poll found that 86% of actual 2024 voters support extending the provision allowing telehealth care to be covered by a health savings account-eligible health plan before a patient has met their deductible.)
• The Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act (S. 3224 / H.R. 3800), codifying flexibility for high-deductible health plans to offer more chronic disease prevention pre-deductible.

“Employers play a critical role in the health care system and are deeply concerned about rising costs and other impediments to value and innovation,” Schuman said. “Our letter outlines some common-sense steps Congress can take now to make health care more affordable, accessible and value-driven. We urge their enactment before the year ends.”

For more information on health policy, or to arrange an interview with Schuman, please contact Jason Hammersla, vice president of communications, at (202) 422-4652 or jhammersla@abcstaff.org.

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