Over 50 organizations are calling on Congress to act now to hold the healthcare industry accountable and provide relief to millions of Americans facing high and rising healthcare costs. This is stated in a press release from Families USA, a non-partisan advocate for healthcare consumers, which sent a letter to Congress along with 56 other organizations.
The letter, dated September 3, stated that in “2025, nearly half of all Americans struggle to afford the healthcare they and their families need due to the high cost. These high costs have left 100 million families grappling with medical debt they may never pay off.”
The organizations, including AFSCME, Doctors for America, Justice in Aging, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, and National Consumers League urged Congress “to turn the tide and prioritize improving health and lowering costs for patients, workers, employers, and states by enacting bipartisan policies to stop big health care corporations from exploiting the health system and driving up costs for everyone who relies on it.”
The organizations specifically requested that Congress implement a comprehensive policy of providing the same service at the same price to prevent large hospital corporations from charging more for routine care and shifting patients to higher-cost care settings, saving an estimated $157 billion over ten years.
Additionally, they called for stronger hospital and health plan price transparency by requiring all hospitals and health plans to reveal their negotiated rates and ending dishonest hospital billing practices. This aims to prevent large hospital corporations from overcharging in outpatient settings and could save an estimated $403 million over ten years.
Furthermore, the organizations called to prohibit anti-competitive contracts, including agreements between providers and insurers that restrict patients’ access to alternative healthcare options, which they claim could save an estimated $3.2 billion over ten years.
Moreover, they called for greater transparency regarding the role of private equity and corporate ownership in healthcare to ensure that all Americans, including those in rural communities, can access the care they need at an affordable price.
The letter stated that outlined policies would save hundreds of billions of dollars in wasteful government spending that could be reinvested in critical improvements across the healthcare system.
“Consumers are eager for Congress to stand up for them – not big healthcare corporations – and to do all you can to finally deliver on your promises to lower costs and improve health care,” the letter writers wrote in conclusion.
