WASHINGTON — A Democrat has signed on to a legislative package that would require health care transparency by law and enact modest payment reforms to pharmacy middlemen and hospitals, increasing its chances of passing the House of Representatives.
Republicans conceded to a few tweaks to the legislation to ensure that transparency regulations for hospitals were at least equal to current regulations, which gained the endorsement of House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.).
Two other prominent Democrats on relevant committees didn’t sign on: Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), who had voiced concerns about the bill’s lack of transparency provisions requiring disclosure of private equity ownership, and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.).