Lubbock Times

Last week, the House of Representatives made history by advancing the Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Savings Act to the Senate. This bipartisan bill, championed by Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), aims to improve how Congress estimates the benefits of preventive health care by creating a mechanism for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to provide budgetary savings estimates over a 30-year window.

During the committee markup process, Chairman Arrington led the effort to rename the bill the "Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Savings Act" in honor of Rep. Burgess's legacy of service. The bill received unanimous support from the House Budget Committee and has since garnered praise and support from various stakeholders and experts across the country.

The Congressional Budget Office expressed their readiness to provide comprehensive analyses of preventive health care proposals as required by the PHSA, stating that it would offer policymakers a more complete picture of the budgetary effects of such legislation.

Several stakeholder groups, including the Bipartisan Policy Center, American Medical Association, and Community Oncology Alliance, highlighted the significance of the legislation in improving care and providing a more relevant economic perspective on preventive health benefits.

The Healthcare Leadership Council emphasized the importance of transitioning to a patient-centered, value-based healthcare system and acknowledged the role of preventive health services in reducing healthcare spending and enhancing patient outcomes.

Various medical organizations, such as the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Academy of Doctors of Audiology, voiced their strong endorsement of the Preventive Health Savings Act, emphasizing its potential to accurately reflect the cost-saving impact of preventive healthcare initiatives.

VillageMD also expressed strong support for the bill, noting that it would require the CBO to estimate the effects of preventive health legislation over a 30-year period, thus providing a more comprehensive assessment of long-term health savings.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget commended the legislative efforts to enhance the CBO's ability to provide policymakers with more detailed information on the cost-effectiveness of preventive health measures, citing examples like Hepatitis C treatment as potential long-term cost-saving opportunities.

Overall, the Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Savings Act has received widespread acclaim for its potential to reshape how Congress evaluates preventive health care benefits and underscores the importance of long-term budget considerations in healthcare policy.