Health Hearing: Lowering Health Care Costs: An Examination of the U.S. Provider Landscape

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on March 19, 2026, titled "Lowering Health Care Costs: An Examination of the U.S. Provider Landscape." The hearing focused extensively on the challenges of health care affordability, provider consolidation, and access to care. Witnesses from hospital associations, medical societies, employer groups, and community providers testified about the impact of hospital and physician practice consolidation on prices, access, and quality. Key procurement-related discussions included the effects of Medicaid funding cuts on hospitals and community-based services, the role of the 340B drug pricing program and its impact on costs, and the need for Medicare physician payment reform to stabilize independent practices. Several members emphasized the importance of price transparency and competition to reduce costs, while others highlighted the consequences of recent legislative actions that cut Medicaid funding and failed to extend ACA premium subsidies. The hearing also addressed workforce shortages, administrative burdens, and regulatory barriers affecting providers. No specific contract awards or RFPs were discussed, but policy recommendations were made to improve payment models, increase transparency, and support independent providers to enhance affordability and access.