A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Competition in State Healthcare Markets Act," directs the Department of Health and Human Services to perform an annual study. For a period of 10 years, the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation will examine health care competition and consolidation at the State level. The study involves consulting with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. It requires the collection of data regarding licensing, mergers, and various health care providers. Finally, the results must be reported to specific House and Senate committees and made available to the public.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +3
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates public access to healthcare competition datasets through an interactive website.
- Scored +2
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The study's focus on competition and consolidation could improve consumer protection by identifying market monopolies.
- Scored +1
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill increases federal oversight via the HHS Assistant Secretary through data collection and reporting.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency: The bill requires the Assistant Secretary to publish reports and make the collected data available to the public through an interactive website (Section 2(e)(2)). This allows people to access information regarding health care competition in their states.
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Data on Healthcare Providers: The study tracks the number of hospitals, medical practices, and insurance providers in operation each year (Section 2(d)(5)). This provides insight into the availability of various health care services.
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Insight into Licensing and Training: The study includes data on licensing requirements for doctors, nurses, and other practitioners (Section 2(d)(1)). This covers everything from initial licensure to continuing medical education.
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Monitoring Market Changes: By tracking mergers and acquisitions involving hospitals, insurance providers, and telehealth (Section 2(d)(2)), the study can highlight how the healthcare landscape is changing through consolidation.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly mentioned in the text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates public access to healthcare competition datasets through an interactive website. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight via the HHS Assistant Secretary through data collection and reporting.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Understanding the impact of provider consolidation can help ensure better healthcare access for populations. Does this lower what a hospital stay costs? — Increased transparency regarding hospital mergers may help mitigate costs driven by consolidation. Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — Monitoring insurance provider mergers may lead to policies that curb excessive premium increases.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Greater market competition can lead to better accessibility and affordability for lower-income individuals. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Increased market transparency may help mitigate rising healthcare costs for middle-class families.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The study's focus on competition and consolidation could improve consumer protection by identifying market monopolies.
- 8/27/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Introduced in House