U.S. Women's Health Alliance Applauds New Measures to Combat Anti-Competitive Practices by Some Hospitals

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Aug. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Women's Health Alliance (USWHA) is pleased to announce its strong support for the recently implemented measures by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee aimed at curbing anti-competitive practices by some hospitals across the nation. In July, the following language was included in the Appropriations Committee's Report for the Fiscal Year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies' spending bill to ensure a more level playing field with respect to the hiring of physicians and other clinical providers:

Stark Law Compliance - The Committee encourages the agency to apply the updated definitions of "commercially reasonable" and "fair market value" as established in the CMS Final Rule "Medicare Program: Modernizing and Clarifying the Physician Self-Referral Regulations" (published December 2, 2020, and effective January 19, 2021). The Committee is concerned that these key definitions, which are foundational to compliance with the Federal Physician Self-Referral Law (commonly referred to as the "Stark Law"), are not being applied during the review of certain hiring practices by hospitals. If these definitions are not properly applied, arrangements that violate the Stark Law because they are not commercially reasonable and/or not consistent with fair market value will continue to go unaddressed, increasing costs to patients and the healthcare system.

"The Report language and its intended reinforcement of the Stark Law represents a significant step forward in promoting hiring fairness and transparency, and most importantly, the access to quality health care for all women," noted Jack Feltz, MD, USWHA President. "We would like to thank Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD), Congressman Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA), Congressman John Joyce (R-PA), Congressman Chuck Fleishmann (R-TN), Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA), Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Congressman Henry Cueller (D-TX) for their bi-partisan work in securing the report language."

In recent years, USWHA has been at the forefront of advocating for stronger enforcement of laws designed to prevent anti-competitive practices by some hospitals that inhibit patient choice and inflate health care costs. "The latest work of the House Appropriations Committee aligns with our organization's mission, and we appreciate their willingness to listen, understand, and then act in the best interests of patients," stated Krista Stock, USWHA Executive Director. "Women across the country rely on a fair and competitive health care market to access the care they deserve. Through enforcement of existing anti-competitive laws, we can ensure that all independent practices are able to recruit and retain top medical talent to deliver high-quality outcomes for all patients."

USWHA will continue its active work with legislators and lawmakers to help support the viability and competitiveness of independent healthcare providers, ensuring diverse care options for patients.

About U.S. Women's Health Alliance

The U.S. Women's Health Alliance (USWHA) is a national organization of respected independent medical practices across the United States who work together to improve the quality of women's health care, create a more affordable healthcare system and protect and preserve the private practice of medicine. Formed in 2012, USWHA now represents over 5,000 providers, including more than 3,200 OB/GYNs, who directly care for the lives of 10 million+ women annually across 36 states and D.C. Its Mission is accomplished through member group collaboration, pooled resources, development of new models of healthcare delivery, including evidence-based quality metrics and shared savings initiatives. By developing healthy relationships with hospital systems, health plans, and medical industry and government organizations, USWHA strengthens the reach and impact on the lives of women throughout the nation. For more information, visit:www.uswha.com.

SOURCE The US Women's Health Alliance

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