On Wednesday, July 22^nd, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee completed a markup of multiple bills focused on insulin affordability, price transparency, nursing shortages, nutrition initiatives and prescription drug costs. Notably, the bill requiring additional hospital price transparency requirements was passed by the Committee. The bill has a “hold harmless” provision that would require hospitals to guarantee their price estimates – without any exceptions. Despite passing the Committee, both chambers of Congress would still need to pass the measure before it becomes law; something that’s uncertain this year.

The markup was largely centered on healthcare affordability. Senate HELP Committee Chair Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) opened the meeting by stating, “I come to this issue not only as a senator, but as a doctor who practiced medicine in a hospital for the uninsured and underinsured for over 25 years.” “We’re seeing the inability to afford health care is impacting the ability of small businesses to provide health insurance for their employees.”

Ranking Member Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) followed Sen. Cassidy’s remarks by reiterating his belief that healthcare is a human right. Highlighting that the United States as the only high-income nation without universal healthcare coverage, he urged Congress to pursue policies that expand access to affordable care.

Price Transparency

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) presented the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, which would adopt additional price transparency requirements, including posting “actual prices” and guaranteeing hospital price estimates. The bill would also require Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) and clinical laboratories to post a Machine Readable File (MRF) as well as a plain language description of all negotiated rates and cash prices. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) opposed the bill by highlighting that the prices displayed are fixed rates and would not increase transparency. He argued that price transparency is helpful, but it won’t lower costs unless more patients are able to make decisions based on price. A section-by-section summary of this bill can be found here.

Access to Medications

Sen. Paul advocated for his Expedited Access to Biosimilars Act, which would ease certain regulatory and testing requirements for biosimilar drugs to expedite their availability and promote lower healthcare costs through greater market competition.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) advocated for her Insulin Act, legislation that would cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 for commercially insured patients. She then proposed the passage of the Baldwin Amendment, which creates a pilot program to improve the affordability of insulin for uninsured individuals. The proposal sparked discussion over the role of government price controls in reducing drug costs, as well as questions about how effectively the legislation would address affordability challenges across different patient populations. Sen. Cassidy criticized the price cap, arguing that if the bill’s goal is to make insulin more accessible, that’s what the 340B Drug Pricing Program should help with. He questioned whether 340B hospitals are sufficiently directing 340B savings to patients, arguing that this bill would further shield hospitals from meeting their responsibility. The amendment was ultimately adopted.

Lifestyle Medicine
Sen. Sanders highlighted his Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act, which would require warning labels on ultra-processed foods and prohibit targeted advertising of unhealthy foods to children. Several Republican members raised concerns regarding the proposal.  Sen. Collins and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) questioned whether the bill represented government overreach and expressed concerns about potential impacts on consumer choice and food costs. Sen. Paul offered an amendment to restrict the purchase of sugary beverages through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, while Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) introduced an amendment requiring that the legislation not increase costs for families.

Sen. Sanders opposed both amendments, arguing that the SNAP restriction could stigmatize low-income individuals and that the cost-protection provision would serve as a “poison pill” that could delay implementation of warning label requirements. Ultimately, both amendments were tabled due to jurisdictional concerns involving other congressional committees.

The Healthcare Workforce

The Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, EMPOWER for Health Act, and Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 were all presented as bipartisan efforts to strengthen the healthcare workforce by expanding support for the recruitment, education, training, and retention of nurses and other providers. In support of the legislation, Sen. Marshall underscored the essential role nurses play in delivering care, remarking that “nurses stand in the gap” throughout the healthcare system. All three bills were approved and advanced to the full Senate.