House Budget Committee Passes HEALTH Panel Act for CBO Oversight
TL/DR –
The HEALTH Panel Act has been passed by the House Budget Committee. The act, proposed by Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX), aims to strengthen congressional oversight and statutory authority for the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) Panel of Health Advisors. The legislation will codify the Panel of Health Advisors, establish congressional appointment authority, and mandate an annual report to the Budget Committees detailing the panel’s work and recommendations.
House Budget Committee Approves HEALTH Panel Act for Congressional Budget Office
The House Budget Committee has passed the HEALTH Panel Act today. This legislation, spearheaded by Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX), is designed to bolster congressional oversight of the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) Panel of Health Advisors and augment its statutory authority.
Improving Accuracy and Establishing Authority
The HEALTH Panel Act aims to refine the precision of CBO’s scoring on healthcare-related bills. This goal will be achieved by officially recognizing the Panel of Health Advisors, introducing congressional appointment authority, and mandating an annual report that outlines the panel’s works and suggestions submitted to the Budget Committees.
Addressing Health Care Costs and Oversight
“Given the high cost of healthcare and its significant contribution to the country’s $35 trillion debt, it’s crucial that the CBO has the essential authority to accurately estimate the budgetary implications of new healthcare policies,” said Rep. Carter. He championed the HEALTH Panel Act as a necessary measure to improve cost estimates and congressional oversight.
Enhancing the U.S. Health Care System
“The approval of the HEALTH Panel Act by the House Budget Committee is a significant victory for American patients, physicians, and our healthcare system,” expressed Congressman Burgess. He emphasized that unelected officials in the CBO should not possess the power to sway the legislative process regarding healthcare policies. This legislation aims to grant congressional authority to officially establish a bipartisan Panel of Health Advisors in the CBO that prioritizes patient needs rather than partisan agendas.
View the full bill text here.
Background of the CBO Panel of Health Advisors
The CBO Panel of Health Advisors is a group of healthcare experts and stakeholders assigned to provide CBO with counsel on healthcare policy-related matters.
The panel’s primary objective is to offer technical and functional expertise along with recommendations to CBO to enhance its studies, analyses, and cost estimates related to health care issues and policies.
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