U.S. PIRG health policy expert testifies at Congressional health care affordability hearing

***News advisory for live event on Thursday, March 23, 2023***

For immediate release: Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Consumer group recommends solutions to high drug and hospital prices

WASHINGTON –  On Thursday, the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, the House Ways & Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Health will host a hearing on health care affordability. 

Patricia Kelmar, PIRG’s senior director for health care campaigns, was selected to represent consumer interests with testimony at Thursday’s session. She will focus on how the prices of prescription drugs and hospital-based services have risen in the absence of competition in health markets and will discuss the solutions needed to constrain rising costs. 

“The prices we are charged for prescription drugs and hospital care are the biggest drivers of our health care spending,” said Kelmar. “Employers and patients are paying higher and higher prices because health markets lack the competition that drives prices down. We need innovative solutions to end anticompetitive practices.”

Members of the press interested in attending may RSVP to J.P. Freire ([email protected])  and Tim Foster ([email protected])

WHAT: House Ways & Means, Health Subcommittee Hearing on Why Health Care is Unaffordable 

WHERE:  House Longworth Building, room 1100 or online at the Committee website

WHO: Patricia Kelmar, U.S. PIRG’s senior director for health care campaigns

WHEN: Thursday, March 23, 2023. The hearing begins at 2:00 p.m. ET. Patricia is scheduled to be the fifth of five witnesses.

***Patricia will be available for interviews after she speaks on Thursday. Her presentation will be based on PIRG’s formal submitted comments***