The Republican-controlled House Ways and Means Committee will hold hearings July 23 and 24 on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage subsidies and on its payment cuts to health insurers participating in the private sector version of the U.S. health program for the elderly, called Medicare Advantage.
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The renewed focus on oversight comes as Congress gears up for the November midterm elections, and as independent investigators give critics new ammunition. The Health and Human Services Department's inspector general reported July 1 that the government found 2.9 million "inconsistencies" in information provided by Obamacare applicants.
"From telling Americans falsely that they could keep their health plan and doctors, to Secretary Sebelius's commitment that the exchanges would be ready to launch on October 1, implementation of this law has been a series of broken promises," Representative Joe Pitts, the Pennsylvania Republican who heads the Energy and Commerce health subcommittee, said at a July 18 hearing.
See also: Does the employer mandate matter?
The Obama administration has argued the law is meeting its goals. About 8 million people signed up for private coverage through new health exchanges, the U.S. uninsured rate has fallen to a five-year low of about 13.4 percent, and health spending continues to grow at historically low levels.
In the lead-up for the elections, Republicans argue that many people who got insurance through Obamacare aren't happy with their costs or their coverage. Oversight hearings in the House, meanwhile, will highlight continuing implementation problems as the government finishes construction of computer systems to enroll people and track changes affecting their eligibility.
ALSO WORTH WATCHING: The Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a pair of hearings this week on overhauling drug development in the U.S., part of a series called "21st Century Cures." A hearing tomorrow focuses on sharing information about unapproved uses of drugs, and a hearing on July 23 examines personalized medicine.
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