Last year, this committee held a series of hearings examining healthcare costs. In one of those hearings, Ty Tippets, administrator for St. George Surgical Center in St. George, Utah, represented the ASC industry. In his testimony, Tippets highlighted the exceptional quality and patient satisfaction rates that ASCs offer. A recording of his testimony and the hearing are available on the HELP Committee’s website.
House Committee on Energy & Commerce: This is the oldest standing legislative committee in the US House of Representatives vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee. It has jurisdiction over health and healthcare facilities. This committee has approved a dozen bills related to healthcare so far this Congress, which focus on the individual insurance market and the ACA and drug pricing.
Representatives Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Aston McEachin (D-VA) and David McKinley (R-WV) introduced the House version of the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, H.R. 1570, which has been referred to this committee.
House Ways and Means Committee: This committee has jurisdiction very similar to that of the Senate Committee on Finance. Aside from its jurisdiction over healthcare legislation, it is considered one of the most influential committees in the Congress because of its power to tax. This committee has advanced legislation for the full House’s consideration related to reforming the Internal Revenue Service and drug pricing. Representative Richard Neal (D-MA) chairs this committee with Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) as ranking member.
Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA), who is a longtime advocate in Congress for ASCs, is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, which is chaired by Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX). Additionally, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act has been jointly referred to this committee for its review and approval.