House Passes Health Anti-Discrimination Bill

By Allison Bell

News February 08, 2024 at 02:14 PM

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The U.S. House of Representatives voted 211-208 on Wednesday to pass H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023.

The bill would prohibit federal health programs — including Medicare, Medicaid and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program — from using a "quality-adjusted life year" measure or similar measures when allocating resources.

All Republicans who voted supported the bill, and all Democrats who voted opposed it.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Ore.

McMorris Rodgers and other bill supporters argued that QALY measures can lead to health programs discriminating against people with diabetes or other chronic conditions.

Democrats countered that federal law already prohibits Medicare from using QALY measures, and that the "other similar measures" is too vague and might create an opening for drug manufacturers or other players to fight efforts to control costs.

House leaders moved H.R. 485 to the House floor together with H. Res. 863, a resolution calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

H. Res. 863 lost by a 216-214 vote, with four Republicans crossing party lines to oppose the resolution.

The U.S. Capitol rotunda. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

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