Scoop: House Republicans circulate transparency bill
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
House Republicans are circulating a section-by-section bill summary and text of the health transparency package that's been the object of negotiations during the recess, according to multiple lobbyists who shared the bill text and summary with Axios.
Driving the news: According to the bill text, the package contains measures codifying Trump-era hospital price transparency rules, a new PBM reporting requirement, a ban on PBM spread pricing in Medicaid and site-neutral hospital measures, as well as extensions of certain programs for community health centers and delaying DSH cuts.
Yes, but: Democrats are still evaluating the legislation, a House Democratic aide said.
- One sore spot for Democrats has been the removal of reporting requirements on private equity ownership of health care providers.
- A spokesperson for Energy and Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone said it was "unfortunate" the private equity requirements were dropped, adding some of the transparency proposals are weaker than existing regulations.
Why it matters: Without a bipartisan deal, Republicans may not be able to bring the bill to the floor since they could need Democratic votes to pass it.
Flashback: The updated bill is the product of talks to merge the legislation that came out of three different committees: Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means and Education and Workforce.
What we're watching: According to an email shared with Axios, the bill is planned to be introduced on Friday, so that it can be taken up on the floor in September.
