WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Budget Committee today passed the HEALTH Panel Act, led by Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX), a bill strengthening congressional oversight of and statutory authority for the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) Panel of Health Advisors.
The bill will help improve the accuracy of CBO’s scores on bills related to health care by codifying the Panel of Health Advisors, establishing congressional appointment authority, and requiring an annual report to the Budget Committees detailing the panel’s work and recommendations.
“It’s no secret that health care is expensive. As one of the primary drivers of our nation’s runaway $35 trillion in debt, it is critical that CBO have the authority required to accurately project the budgetary impact new health care policies will have. The HEALTH Panel Act is a necessary, common-sense step to improve both cost estimates and congressional oversight of this key panel, and I hope to see it on the House floor soon,” said Rep. Carter.
“The passage of the HEALTH Panel Act through the House Budget Committee is a major win for American patients, physicians, and the U.S. health care system,” said Congressman Burgess. “Unelected officials in the Congressional Budget Office should not have the power to influence the legislative process as it pertains to health care policies. This commonsense legislation will grant congressional authority to codify a bipartisan Panel of Health Advisors within the CBO that prioritize the needs of the patient and not their own partisan agenda. Thank you to Congressman Carter for joining me in revitalizing this panel with statutory authority.”
Read the full bill text here.
BACKGROUND
The CBO Panel of Health Advisors consists of health care experts and stakeholders that advise CBO on issues pertaining to health care policy.
The core purpose of the panel is to provide technical and functional expertise and recommendations to CBO to improve its studies, analyses, and cost estimates related to health care issues and policies.
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