Health Care

Today, Representatives Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (GA-1) and Katherine Clark (MA-5) introduced the Birth Access Benefiting Improved Essential Facility Services Act, or BABIES Act, a bill that would expand access to freestanding birth centers for Medicaid recipients. Over half of U.S. counties have no hospital maternity unit, and maternal-child outcomes in the U.S. are among the worst of all developed nations. Freestanding, licensed birth centers can provide high quality care to women and families in... Read more

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) today applauded President Donald Trump after the Trump administration announced new actions to make health care costs more transparent. The administration announced that the Department of Health and Human Services is finalizing a rule that will require hospitals to make prices publicly available online. The rule will also require health insurers to make cost sharing information available to patients. "As I always say, sunlight is the best disinfectant,"... Read more

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) applauded Georgia Governor Brian Kemp today after he announced "Georgia Access," a Section 1332 state relief waiver to the Affordable Care Act. "As the only pharmacist currently serving in Congress, one of my top priorities is reducing the costs of health care," said Carter. "While we fight to return the free market, choice and control to our health care system at the federal level, I applaud Governor Kemp for implementing 'Georgia Access' at the state ... Read more

The U.S. House of Representatives today approved Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter's (R-Ga.) legislation to help lower prescription drug costs and increase transparency in the drug supply chain. Currently, Congress’ independent advisory commissions, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), do not have access to certain drug pricing data. MedPAC and MACPAC need data such as information about drug rebates in order to make ... Read more

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) today applauded the Trump administration's announcement of a nearly $20 million State Opioid Response (SOR) grant for the state of Georgia. This grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will provide funding to the state government to support opioid abuse prevention, treatment and recovery services. "According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, America is seeing the first drop in overdose deaths ... Read more

This week, Representatives Roger Marshall, MD (KS-01), Peter Welch (VT-At Large), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), and Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), introduced H.R. 3223, the Pharmacy Benefit Manger Accountability Study Act of 2019. This bipartisan legislation directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on the role pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs) play in the drug supply chain and serves as a companion to existing Senate efforts. PBMs are third party administrators tha... Read more

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) slammed House Democrats today for bringing legislation titled the Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act to a vote when the legislation does not address pre-existing conditions. Instead, the legislation would hinder the ability of states to lower premiums for Americans across the country. On the floor, Carter said, "I rise today in opposition to the so-called 'Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act.' Mr. Speaker, this is a ... Read more

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter's (R-Ga.) bipartisan legislation to increase transparency in the drug pricing system was approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee today. Currently, Congress’ independent advisory commissions, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), do not have access to certain drug pricing data. MedPAC and MACPAC need data, such as information about drug rebates, in ord... Read more

Today Representative Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.) along with Representatives Tom O’Halleran (D-Az.), Tom Rice (R-Sc.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Ca.) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase transparency in the drug pricing system. Currently, Congress’ independent advisory commissions, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), do not have access to certain drug pricing data. MedPAC and MACPAC need data such as information... Read more

Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) and Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-Or.) today introduced legislation aimed at keeping drug prices down by increasing competition in the generic drug market. Current law awards 180 days of exclusivity on the market to a drug manufacturer when they are the first to file a generic drug application with the FDA for a drug for which there is no generic. The purpose of this award is to reward manufacturers for challenging weak patents and bringing new low-cost ... Read more