U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has expressed support for President Trump’s recent plan to reduce health care costs and increase affordability for families across the United States.
“I absolutely agree with President Trump that we must make health care affordable and give power to the patient, not more profit to insurance companies. This plan lowers the actual costs of care for all Americans,” said Dr. Cassidy. “The HELP Committee has and will take action on the President’s affordability agenda.”
The President’s initiative aligns with several priorities championed by Senator Cassidy to address health care expenses. Earlier in the year, President Trump signed legislation sponsored by U.S. Senator Jim Banks and supported by Cassidy that aims to speed up access to over-the-counter drugs. The goal is to provide patients with quicker access to less expensive treatments for common conditions.
Senator Cassidy is also working on proposals that would direct funding straight to families for health care purchases rather than through large insurance providers. In addition, he is leading efforts behind the PBM Reform Act, which seeks changes in pharmacy benefit manager practices and aims to lower prescription drug prices for patients. The legislation proposes reforms such as increasing transparency into PBM operations and ensuring employers receive rebates from drug manufacturers instead of intermediaries.
Cassidy intends to move forward with legislation in the HELP Committee that would formalize President Trump’s price transparency rules. These rules would require hospitals and insurers to publish their pricing information in a machine-readable format accessible by patients.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee oversees matters related to public health policy, education initiatives, workforce development programs, and labor protections at the federal level. It maintains subcommittees focused on specific policy areas for effective oversight of agencies and programs under its jurisdiction (https://www.help.senate.gov/).
For further updates from HELP Republicans, visit their website or follow @GOPHELP on Twitter.
