Influencing Policy

PBGH is committed to containing unrelenting annual health care cost increases that impose an intolerable financial burden on patients and limit employers’ ability to grow and compete globally.

Our policy initiatives are grounded in a commitment to market-based solutions that encourage healthy competition among providers, health plans, drug manufacturers and suppliers. Where health care sectors are impervious to traditional market forces due to a lack of competition and entrenched monopoly power, we support legislative and legal action to restore affordability, quality and equity.

Policy Work

COVID-19

PBGH advocates for sufficient public health resources to fight the pandemic, economic supports to help the country weather the resulting economic downturn.

Reducing Drug Prices

PBGH works with policymakers and stakeholders to inject more competition, transparency and value into the health care system.

Tackling High Costs

PBGH seeks to uproot the economic distortions in the nation’s health care payment and delivery system to ensure that health care is affordable and accessible to everyone in the country.

Fair Health Costs Initiative

The Fair Health Costs Initiative is an effort by PBGH and National Alliance of Healthcare Coalitions to mobilize employer purchasers, educate policymakers and advocate for public policies to reduce health care prices.

Payment Reform and Quality Improvement

PBGH works with policymakers to advance the development and application of alternative payment models that hold providers accountable for quality of care.

Health Equity

PBGH is committed to identifying and championing health policies that ensure health equity for all people in our country.

The Future of Health Coverage Employer-Sponsored Insurance Policy

PBGH is actively engaged in promoting solutions that both increase access to health care coverage while driving down costs for all purchasers of health care.

Tackling Market Consolidation

Anticompetitive practices that stifle employers’ ability to negotiate for the best health care value for their workers has become a growing concern.

Telehealth Waiver for High-Deductible Health Plans Facing Uncertain Future

Without congressional action, employers will be required to charge employees more to access telehealth services, creating a barrier to care.

Midterms 2022: 6 Health Care Public Policies Employers Should Watch

Outlined here are six possible implications of the election that large employers and purchasers – who provide health benefits for more than half the country – should watch.

PBGH Statement on New Surprise Billing Rule

On August 19, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury released a final rule implementing portions of the No Surprises Act.

Historic Drug Legislation Passed: What It Means for Employers and American Workers

In the wake of the recent drug pricing reforms passed, learn six steps employers and purchasers can take to address the exceedingly high-cost burden of prescription drugs.

PBGH Statement on the Parliamentarian’s Decision to Limit Drug Provisions in the Reconciliation Bill to Medicare Only

Review of the drug pricing provisions of the reconciliation package by the parliamentarian today resulted in good news for America’s seniors in that it allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and potentially lower costs for millions of Americans.

5 Policies to Create a Fair Health Care Market

This week, actuaries with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid projected health care spending will grow to reach almost $6.8 trillion by the year 2030 and consume nearly 20% of the country’s gross domestic product, or one in every five dollars spent.

What the Biden Administration’s Drug Pricing Reforms Mean for Employers

Policy specialists taking part in a recent PBGH roundtable on drug costs noted the reforms continue to enjoy broad, bi-partisan support and will help address a top concern of the American people in an election year.

PBGH Joins More Than 90 Organizations to Call on the Senate to Pass Drug Pricing Reforms

PBGH joined more than 90 organizations representing patients, consumers, seniors, unions, small businesses, large employers, physicians and disease advocacy groups to urge the Senate to immediately advance a reconciliation package that includes the reforms to lower prescription drug prices agreed to in the Build Back Better Act.

5 Federal Policies for Employers to Watch in 2022

With the country in its fifth wave of coronavirus cases and hospitals full to the point of breaking, the ongoing pandemic clouds and shapes the health policy landscape.

National Employer Group Urges Congress to Continue Pursuing Drug Price Reform

The Purchaser Business Group on Health calls on Congress to continue efforts to rein in drug prices, despite Sunday’s announcement by Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) that he could not support President Biden’s Build Back Better Act, which included provisions to protect the American people from high prescription drug costs.

The Purchaser Business Group on Health supports AB 3129

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PBGH Statement on Health Care Affordability

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Letter to Congress in Support of Site Neutral Payments Billing and Price Transparency

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Save Service, Same Price | An Open Letter to Congress

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PBGH Asks Federal Agencies for More Guidance on Gag Clause Prohibition of the CAA

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Letter Asking Congress to Extend the HDHP Telehealth Waiver

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Response to HHS RFI about Primary Health Care

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PBGH Response to the RFI on Federal Merger Guidelines

Many experts have pointed to anticompetitive conduct and industry consolidation as a driver of high health care costs.

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PBGH Letter of Support for California AB 2080 (Wood)

PBGH submitted a letter of support for AB 2080 (Wood) which would prohibit anti-competitive contracting provisions.

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PBGH Letter of Support for California SB 1033

PBGH submitted a letter of support for California SB 1033 which would address health disparities, improve health care quality and outcomes and address overall population health.

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PBGH Letter on Pharmacy Cost Transparency Interim Final Rule

PBGH continues to advance pharmacy cost transparency on behalf of purchasers through standardized reporting requirements.

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Joint Employer Letter on No Surprises Act Interim Final Rule

Organizations representing many of the nation’s largest employers and health care purchasers issued a letter regarding CMS-2021-0156, the second interim final rule (IFR), implementing the No Surprises Act, banning surprise medical billing.

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California Coalition Letter on No Surprises Act Interim Final Rule

The No Surprises Act will help accelerate our efforts to protect consumers, improve the quality and affordability of their care, and address the longstanding market failures that contributed to a nationwide affordability crisis.

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EmployersRx Letter to House Leaders on HR 3

EmployersRx sent a letter to House leaders expressing support for the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act.

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Employer Groups Send Letter on Drug Pricing to Senate Committee of Finance Chairman

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Letter Urging Federal Agencies to Protect Patients with Surprise Billing Rule

PBGH joined nearly 60 consumer and employer organizations urging that surprise billing loopholes be closed in the administration’s looming rule.

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PBGH Letter on the 2022 Medicare Inpatient Perspective System (IPPS) Rule

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Letter to the White House on Health Care Costs

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PBGH statement to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative – 4/29/21

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Letter to California Assembly Health Committee Re: Office of Health Care Affordability (AB 1130)

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Influencing Policy

Policy Work

COVID-19

Reducing Drug Prices

Tackling High Costs

Fair Health Costs Initiative

Payment Reform and Quality Improvement

Health Equity

The Future of Health Coverage Employer-Sponsored Insurance Policy

Tackling Market Consolidation

Telehealth Waiver for High-Deductible Health Plans Facing Uncertain Future

Midterms 2022: 6 Health Care Public Policies Employers Should Watch

PBGH Statement on New Surprise Billing Rule

Historic Drug Legislation Passed: What It Means for Employers and American Workers

PBGH Statement on the Parliamentarian’s Decision to Limit Drug Provisions in the Reconciliation Bill to Medicare Only

5 Policies to Create a Fair Health Care Market

What the Biden Administration’s Drug Pricing Reforms Mean for Employers

PBGH Joins More Than 90 Organizations to Call on the Senate to Pass Drug Pricing Reforms

5 Federal Policies for Employers to Watch in 2022

National Employer Group Urges Congress to Continue Pursuing Drug Price Reform

Resources

The Purchaser Business Group on Health supports AB 3129

PBGH Statement on Health Care Affordability

Letter to Congress in Support of Site Neutral Payments Billing and Price Transparency

Save Service, Same Price | An Open Letter to Congress

PBGH Asks Federal Agencies for More Guidance on Gag Clause Prohibition of the CAA

Letter Asking Congress to Extend the HDHP Telehealth Waiver

Response to HHS RFI about Primary Health Care

PBGH Response to the RFI on Federal Merger Guidelines

PBGH Letter of Support for California AB 2080 (Wood)

PBGH Letter of Support for California SB 1033

PBGH Letter on Pharmacy Cost Transparency Interim Final Rule

Joint Employer Letter on No Surprises Act Interim Final Rule

California Coalition Letter on No Surprises Act Interim Final Rule

EmployersRx Letter to House Leaders on HR 3

Employer Groups Send Letter on Drug Pricing to Senate Committee of Finance Chairman

Letter Urging Federal Agencies to Protect Patients with Surprise Billing Rule

PBGH Letter on the 2022 Medicare Inpatient Perspective System (IPPS) Rule

Letter to the White House on Health Care Costs

PBGH statement to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative – 4/29/21

Letter to California Assembly Health Committee Re: Office of Health Care Affordability (AB 1130)

Testimony: California’s Office of Health Care Affordability (AB 1130)

Elizabeth Mitchell – Testimony to Senate HELP Committee 6/18/19

General COVID Resources

2020 Comment Letters

2019 Comment Letters

2018 Comment Letters