Congressional committees have held several hearings on health policy issues since returning from August break. For instance, on September 15, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on “Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program for Durable Medical Equipment: Implications for Quality, Cost, and Access.” The Senate Appropriations Committee also met to examine human embryonic stem cell research policy. In addition, on September 21, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health is scheduled to hold a hearing on "Cutting Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Medicare and Medicaid."