Recent hearings on health policy issues include:

• A House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the impact of limitations on the use of tax-advantaged accounts for the purchase of over-the-counter medication.
• A Senate Finance Committee discussion on “Medicare Physician Payments: Understanding the Past so We Can Envision the Future.”
• A Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing on the Medicare DMEPOS competitive bidding program.  A GAO report released at the hearing found it is too soon to determine the full effects of competitive bidding on beneficiaries and suppliers.
• A House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on “Budget and Spending Concerns at HHS.”  At the hearing, the GAO issued a report reiterating its recommendations to minimize improper Medicare payments (such as using prepayment controls to identify potentially-improper DME claims and enhanced payment safeguards for physicians who use advanced imaging services) and improve oversight of Medicaid payments.

In addition, the Senate HELP Committeehas scheduled hearings May 15 and 16 on HIV/AIDS drug costs and health care delivery reforms, respectively. In addition, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and Competition is holding a hearing May 18 on health care consolidation and competition after the ACA .