The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee advanced a broad bipartisan package of health care bills during a June 25 markup aimed at increasing price transparency and strengthening prior authorization oversight. The bills now head to the full Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.
Among the most significant measures approved was the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act of 2026 (H.R. 9393), sponsored by full committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), which would expand federal price transparency requirements for hospitals, health plans, ambulatory surgical centers, laboratories, and imaging providers while strengthening enforcement tools for regulators. The subcommittee also advanced the Prior Authorization Accountability Act (H.R. 9396), which would require commercial insurers to publicly report approval and denial rates, appeal outcomes, response times, and their use of artificial intelligence in prior authorization determinations. The bipartisan, AAMC-supported Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3514), led by Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), which would require Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to establish electronic prior authorization programs and meet new beneficiary protection and reporting requirements, was also approved.
Additional bills advanced by the subcommittee would increase transparency around MA supplemental benefits, broker compensation, and encounter-level cost data. Notably, a discussion draft that would have required hospitals and physician practices to disclose ownership information, including private equity ownership, was not included in the markup, though Ranking Member Pallone indicated it could be addressed at the full committee markup.