Welcome to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, led a hearing titled Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Medicare Services.

“As our population ages, it is critical that Medicare policies keep pace with patient needs. Today’s hearing highlighted legislation that works to improve patient access in Medicare,” said Chairman Griffith. “Ensuring beneficiaries can obtain timely, cost-effective services is essential to fulfilling Medicare’s promise.”

Watch the full hearing here .

Below are key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13): “H.R. 1703, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025, is commonsense legislation. It would give greater access to Medicare beneficiaries to titanium and to carbon fiber wheelchairs. There is one key word in this legislation, and that is choice. This bill allows Medicare patients the opportunity to decide whether a titanium or a carbon fiber wheelchair is the right choice for them, and if it is, patients with Medicare B have the ability to pay out of pocket for wheelchair upgrades if they so choose.”

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01): “As a physician and nurse, I have seen firsthand how critical timely access to oxygen equipment, mobility devices, and home medical supplies are to keep patients healthy and out of hospitals. When access to these services is disrupted, patient outcomes suffer, and costs to the health care system increase. That is why I introduced H.R. 2005, the DMEPOS Relief Act of 2025. DMEPOS suppliers, particularly small independent providers and those serving rural communities, are under growing financial pressure due to inflation, workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions, and Medicare reimbursement rates that have not kept pace with real-world costs. In many cases, suppliers are being forced to limit services or exit the Medicare program altogether, leaving beneficiaries with fewer options and longer wait times.”

Congressman Tom Kean (NJ-07): “I appreciate this Committee’s efforts to educate all of us on legislation that could help our seniors who rely on Medicare. I support H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act of 2025, that’s been introduced by my colleague from North Carolina, Representative Hudson. This bill would make vital reforms to Medicare’s clinical lab fee schedule, which pays for lab tests New Jersey seniors rely on for routine care and for diagnosis of more complex conditions like cancer. In New Jersey, there were over 2,300 laboratories. In my district, there are over 200. Ms. Van Meter, can you articulate the urgency of reform needed for Medicare’s clinical lab fee schedule?” Ms. Susan Van Meter: “On January 31, about 800 tests will get cut by up to 15 percent. The cuts are going to hit tests that are among the most routine that Medicare beneficiaries rely on every day. Those kinds of reductions will have an impact on beneficiary access to services. It will also stifle innovation in the next generation of diagnostics those same patients need and deserve.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Medicare Services.

Subcommittee Chairman Griffith’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Today’s hearing will discuss ten bills aimed at improving patient access in Medicare.

“As our population ages, it is critical that Medicare policies keep pace with patient needs.

“Ensuring beneficiaries can obtain timely, cost-effective services is essential to fulfilling Medicare’s promise.

“A handful of bills we are discussing today help increase access to durable medical equipment, or DME, which include wheelchairs, oxygen equipment, walkers, diabetic supplies just to name a few.

“However, the way Medicare reimburses for these products can be improved.

“Dr. Joyce from Pennsylvania is leading H.R. 1703, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act, which creates a new billing code to improve Medicare coverage for ultralightweight wheelchairs, particularly those made from titanium or carbon fiber.

“Currently, an individual must pay full price for the upgrade to a lighter, more functional wheelchair, and then hope to get reimbursed by Medicare later.

“This bill will allow Medicare to cover a portion of the costs up front to ease the financial burden on individuals.

“Another bill, H.R. 2477, the Portable Ultrasound Reimbursement Equity Act, led by Representative Van Duyne from Texas, provides Medicare reimbursement for portable ultrasound transportation and services, which will help seniors get the care they need.

“Representative Miller-Meeks from Iowa champions H.R. 2005, the DMEPOS Relief Act, would establish a fairer rate for DME supplies.

“The way DME products get priced is through a process known as competitive bidding.

“This is where DME suppliers bid to be the sole contractor in certain areas of the country with the winning bid prices used to determine supplier reimbursement.

“These prices are not one size fits all, and suppliers, especially in some areas, struggle to stay open due to these low rates.

“This bill aims to help mitigate that impact.

“The last bill in the DME space is H.R. 2902, the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform Act, led by Representative Valadao from California.

“Among other things, this bill removes supplemental oxygen and its supplies from the competitive bidding program and creates a new reimbursement rate for supplemental and liquid oxygen.

“We will also be considering H.R. 2172, the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act, led by Representative Buchanan from Florida.

“This bill would make updates to the home infusion therapy benefit and support patient access to this benefit.

“The current reimbursement structure is not aligned with how these therapies are currently administered in the home.

“This bill will modernize the model, ensure adequate provider reimbursement and support patient access to home infusions.

“Another bill being considered today is H.R. 5269, the Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act, led by Representative Hudson from North Carolina.

“This bill would update how CMS establishes reimbursement rates for clinical laboratory services paid under the Medicare Clinical Lab Fee Schedule.

“This important bill aims to create a less burdensome process for CMS to determine private payor-based rates for lab services.

“A few other bills being considered today include:

“H.R. 5243, led by Representative McClellan from Virginia, that brings more transparency into supplemental benefits provided by Medicare Advantage plans.

“H.R. 5347, the Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act, also led by Representative Buchanan.

“This bill would extend certain methods for collecting Accountable Care Organization’s quality measurement data, as well as establish a digital quality measure pilot program.

“H.R. 6210, the Senior Savings Protection Act, led by Representative Matsui from California, reauthorizes and funds certain programs under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.

“These programs help low-income beneficiaries understand and access their benefits.

“Lastly, we will discuss H.R. 6361, the BAN AI Denials in Medicare Act, led by Representative Landsman from Ohio.

“This bill prohibits the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation or CMMI from implementing the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model, or the WISeR Model.

“While I understand the concerns around AI and prior authorization, CMMI’s statutory mission is to lower health care costs and improve outcomes for patients.

“The WISeR Model does not change Medicare coverage policy but will focus on ensuring that for a set of non-emergency services, seniors are getting safe, effective, and appropriate care.

“I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today and working to advance these bills to a markup.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, announced the details for upcoming hearings inviting in five of the biggest health insurance company Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to answer questions on how we can make health care more affordable for all Americans with commercial insurance coverage—not just the seven percent of Americans who obtain their health insurance through Obamacare.

Quote Attributable to Chairmen Guthrie and Smith:

“House Republicans are once again left to clean up the mess of Democrats’ flawed policymaking. Instead of temporarily bailing out a failing program utilized by a fraction of the country, we have invited five of the top health insurance company CEOs to testify before our Committees to have a discussion and answer questions about rising costs, the current state of health care affordability, and the role played by large health insurers.

“This hearing is the first in a series to examine the root causes driving higher health care prices and discuss policies that will lower the cost of care for all Americans.

“Republicans are committed to making health care more affordable by driving solutions that increase patient choice and competition, root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and put patients back at the center of our health care system.”

BACKGROUND:

The date of the hearings will be January 22, 2026, with the panel appearing before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in the morning, and the House Committee on Ways and Means in the afternoon.

Companies invited are UnitedHealthcare, CVS Health, Cigna Healthcare, Elevance Health, and Blue Shield of California.

Witnesses Invited:

• Stephen Hemsley, CEO, UnitedHealth Group
• David Joyner, President and CEO, CVS Health Group
• David Cordani, President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Cigna Health Group
• Gail Boudreaux, President and CEO, Elevance Health
• Paul Markovich, President and CEO, Ascendiun

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting a briefing to better understand the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recent actions and ongoing work to enhance safety within the organ procurement and transplantation system. On Thursday, September 18, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced major efforts to improve safety, transparency, and efficiency within the organ procurement and transplantation system, including the decertification of an organ procurement organization (OPO) for the first time in U.S. history. According to the announcement , the decision was made “after an investigation uncovered years of unsafe practices, poor training, chronic underperformance, understaffing, and paperwork errors.” The Committee has a history of ensuring patient safety remains the highest priority in our organ procurement and transplantation system, as evident from the Committee’s work last Congress on organ transplantation and donation issues as well as its oversight this Congress. As a part of its ongoing investigation, the Committee requests that CMS respond to questions, including those related to the decertification of the OPO in South Florida and the prevalence of incidents similar to those outlined in the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) investigative report, to ensure patient safety remains a top priority. Read the full letter HERE . “While the Committee applauds efforts taken by CMS to uphold the highest standards of care to which all OPOs are expected to adhere, HHS’s announcement decertifying the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency illustrates the urgency of this moment and why the subcommittee is not finished with our oversight of the organ transplant system,” said Chairmen Guthrie and Joyce. “It is our moral obligation as members of Congress to establish safeguards and prevent these harmful practices from persisting further, and we look forward to obtaining answers from the agency about the prevalence of these incidents, as well as how CMS plans to proceed with prioritizing patient safety first and foremost.” Background: During the 118th Congress, the Committee on Energy and Commerce led the passage of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act to both modernize the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and allow HRSA to institute a competitive contracting process to find the best contractors for various OPTN functions. This legislation was signed into law on September 22, 2023.  On March 20, 2024, the Committee launched an investigation into the organ procurement and transplantation system by sending a letter to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) requesting information related to concerns surrounding data security and operability, patient safety and equity, and conflicts of interest.   On March 20, 2024, the Committee also sent a letter to HRSA requesting information related to implementation of the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act as well as other concerns related to effective oversight and management.  On September 11, 2024, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing that focused on the implementation of reforms at the OPTN, including the need for stronger oversight and accountability as well as ongoing patient safety concerns.  During the hearing, questions were raised related to allegations of mismanagement and patient safety concerns after patients began exhibiting signs of increased neurologic function after being previously deemed suitable as an organ donation candidate. Several of these allegations, particularly those related to patient safety, were later substantiated through the findings contained in HRSA’s March 2025 report.  On March 24, 2025, HRSA’s Division of Transplantation issued a report that summarized the findings of its investigation into KYDA, the OPO now known as Network for Hope, which serves Kentucky and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana.   HRSA’s investigation examined an “index case” and an additional 351 unique cases of authorized, not recovered (ANR) patients. This means that the patients were considered for donation after circulatory death recovery, but no organs were transplanted. The report showed that nearly 30 percent of the cases “had concerning features.” The concerning features included problems with patient-family interactions, medical assessments and team interactions, recognition of high neurologic function, and recognition and documentation of drugs in records.  On May 28, 2025, HRSA issued a corrective action plan to the OPTN, which directed the OTPN to take specific actions within a specified period of time, including developing a 12-month OPTN monitoring plan for KYDA to address concerns identified. The corrective action plan also requires the OPTN to propose policies for public comment to improve safeguards for potential donation after circulatory death (DCD) patients in the organ procurement process and increase information shared with patient families regarding DCD organ procurement.  On July 22, 2025, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing examining concerning practices within our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system that were identified by HRSA’s investigation.  On September 12, 2025, the Committee sent a bipartisan letter to HRSA requesting a briefing on its ongoing oversight of patient safety in our nation’s organ procurement and transplant system. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, sent a letter to Gene Dodaro, the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting an assessment of available or emerging technologies and materials that could be used to supplement critical minerals in semiconductors. “Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential for technologies used in many sectors of the economy, including energy, transportation, national defense, health care, and consumer electronics,” said Chairmen Joyce and Palmer . “These minerals are vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions for several reasons, including U.S. reliance on foreign sources, as well as the rapid growth in demand for critical minerals in the U.S. and abroad.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter. The letter asks the GAO to examine: The status of domestic technologies and supplemental materials, such as critical minerals found in mine waste, tailings, or reclaimed from end-of-life batteries and electronic waste, that can serve as substitutes for foreign-sourced critical minerals from non-allied nations needed for semiconductors and energy grid or power electronics, including impacts on material and product performance. Key technological challenges to the development or adoption of these domestic supplemental and materials to advance the diversification of U.S. critical mineral sources. BACKGROUND: In May, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on ways to enhance our critical mineral supply chains. Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are committed to strengthening our critical mineral supply chains and finding solutions to reduce our reliance on foreign sources, particularly when it comes to foreign adversaries like China. The Trump Administration has also worked hard to bolster these supply chains. Critical minerals are essential to American technologies and industries, and finding innovative domestic solutions that can contribute to our independence from non-allied nations is essential as we work to onshore American innovation and strengthen our national security. ###

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, sent a letter to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker following the recent announcement that student athletes and athletic department staff will be allowed to bet on professional sports. KEY EXCERPTS: “The Committee on Energy and Commerce is examining the NCAA’s recent policy change permitting student athletes and athletic department staff to bet on professional sports.” [...] To assist the Committee in its oversight, we request a briefing by no later than November 13, 2025, that addresses the following: Why is the NCAA changing its policy allowing student athletes to bet on professional sports? Has the NCAA conducted any studies, analyses, or reviews of the impact of gambling on student athletes? If so, what are the results? What role did they play in the NCAA’s decision to allow student athletes to bet on professional sports? How does this change allow the NCAA, the conferences, and the member schools to better protect the integrity of college games and encourage healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities on professional sports? How is the NCAA engaging with athletic conferences, member institutions, and teams to address questions and concerns about this rule change? Amid recent allegations of illegal sports betting among student athletes and concerns expressed by member institutions, is NCAA reconsidering implementation of the policy? What guardrails are in place to prevent the type of illegal sports betting activity that is allegedly occurring in the NCAA and NBA, considering that some student athletes will go on to become professional athletes? Please provide details about any fraudulent, illegal, and alleged betting practices in connection with NCAA players, coaches, and officials, including the actions of NCAA players identified in recent infraction decisions; as well as prior instances, some of which are identified above. Please describe the NCAA’s “layered integrity monitoring program,” for maintaining competition integrity and pursuing sports betting violations. What gaps, if any, are in existing regulations that allow illegal betting schemes to occur in college sports? BACKGROUND: On October 24, 2025, the Committee on Energy and Commerce launched its investigation into sports fixing and illegal gambling after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) unsealed indictments of current and former NBA players and coaches. An initial announcement stated that, effective November 1, 2025, student athletes and athletic department staff in all three NCAA divisions would be permitted to bet on professional sports. A few days before the policy change was supposed to take effect, the Division I Board of Directors voted to delay implementation of the rule change across all three divisions to November 22, 2025. A recent NCAA press release stated that “enforcement staff has opened investigations into potential sports betting violations by approximately 30 current or former men's basketball student-athletes.” CLICK HERE to read the full letter.