The Health Care Task Force of the House Budget Committee Addresses Health Care Expenditure in the U.S.

By Better Today On Oct 26, 2023

TL/DR –

The inaugural roundtable of the House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force (HCTF) discussed the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) methods for analyzing policies impacting drug development in the U.S., including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Led by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), the discussion focused on potential improvements to the CBO’s drug development model to ensure more factors and subsequent real-world effects of policies are captured. The HCTF is committed to working collaboratively with the CBO to ensure policymakers have access to the best available analysis when making decisions.

October 26, 2023

The House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force (HCTF) initiated its inaugural roundtable today. Led by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), the discussions involved Director Phillip Swagel of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), independent experts, and stakeholders. They analyzed CBO’s methodologies for appraising policies affecting drug development in the U.S, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Pictures from the HCTF Roundtable

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Chairman Burgess communicated the Task Force’s objectives with the public through an op-ed published in the Washington Times prior to the roundtable.

Washington Times Comments:

“With approximately one-third of the federal government’s $6.4 trillion spending this year being on health care, Congress needs to follow the lead of American families and control health care spending…”

Roundtable Insights:

Mr. Schulthess discussed how the IRA’s price control provision impacts revenues for manufacturers and drug availability for patients.
Mr. Kolchinsky pointed out the adverse effects of IRA on patient access to cures and America’s innovation ecosystem.
Mr. Holtz-Eakin shared his experience as CBO director during the Medicare Part D benefit passage in 2003 and how CBO can integrate expert feedback to refine their models.
CBO Director Swagel explained the assumptions underlying the CBO’s drug development model and showed willingness to enhance their policy analysis methods through continued dialogue with stakeholders.

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HCTF aims to continue collaborating with CBO to ensure policymakers have access to top-level analysis for decision making. This objective can be achieved through discussions like today’s roundtable, and Chairman Arrington appreciates CBO Director Swagel and the expert panel’s commitment to this goal.