North Texas News

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, recently participated in a session where he questioned Secretary Xavier Becerra of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the Fiscal Year 2025 Department of HHS Budget. During the meeting, Chairman Burgess raised important concerns regarding healthcare consolidation, independent practices, and high healthcare costs.

Chairman Burgess began by addressing the issue of provider consolidation and the importance of preserving independent practices. He asked Secretary Becerra, "Would you agree that provider consolidation is a problem that needs to be addressed?" Secretary Becerra responded, "That's something we've had forever, there's no reason why consolidation should mean that there shouldn't be independent practice." Chairman Burgess emphasized the value of independent physicians and inquired about the Administration's efforts to preserve independent practice. Secretary Becerra highlighted their work with industry and the Department of Justice to prevent monopolistic consolidation, stating, "removing those independent practitioners is going to lead to higher prices...and worst patient care."

Moving forward, Chairman Burgess requested a commitment from the Biden administration to address disruptive payment rules, reduce healthcare consolidation, and lower costs for American patients. He queried Secretary Becerra about modifying the Physician Fee Schedule to offer stability for facility physicians. Secretary Becerra acknowledged the need for collaboration, mentioning that the current rules set by Congress must be followed. Chairman Burgess expressed concerns about the cycle of budget neutrality adjustments affecting providers and questioned why the Administration has not embraced ideas like site neutral payment reform to reduce costs and consolidation.

Secretary Becerra assured Chairman Burgess of their efforts to support smaller providers, particularly in rural and lower-income areas, to prevent them from being absorbed by larger healthcare systems. Chairman Burgess suggested site neutrality as a solution, stating, "We can afford this. We have the dollars within the system, we can afford to do this, it is just the will to deliver on that." He further pressed Secretary Becerra on the cost per enrollee in the Affordable Care Act, highlighting the financial burden on Americans.

The exchange between Chairman Burgess and Secretary Becerra underscored the ongoing challenges in the healthcare industry and the need for collaborative efforts to address consolidation, preserve independent practices, and lower costs for patients.