The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing on Feb. 14, titled, “Legislative Proposals to Support Patients and Caregivers.” During the hearing, which featured witnesses representing patient and caregiver organizations, subcommittee members considered legislation that would authorize and reauthorize key health care programs, including those to promote physician well-being and mental health, [refer to Kat’s related story].
During the hearing, Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Health Subcommittee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) emphasized the need to deliver bipartisan legislative solutions to better support patients, health care providers, and caregivers. Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), and subcommittee member Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) highlighted the critical need for legislation to support those living with Alzheimer’s Disease, enhance medical care for children in emergencies, improve research and data collection on stillbirths, and support the mental health of caregivers.