STAT+: Health system CEOs get off easy at Congressional hearing on affordability

STAT PlusPolitics Health system CEOs get off easy at Congressional hearing on affordability Committee members seemed more interested in sniping at each other Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Tara BannowApril 28, 2026 Hospitals and Insurance Reporter Tara Bannow[email protected]Tara Bannow covers hospitals, providers, and insurers. You can reach Tara on Signal at tarabannow.70. The four health system CEOs summoned before a Congressional committee Tuesday likely breathed sighs of relief early in the hearing, when it became clear they had friends in the audience. Instead, committee members largely blamed the other party’s health care policies for driving U.S. health care prices to levels inaccessible to many Americans.Advertisement The hearing was part of the House Ways and Means Committee’s effort to understand the root causes of rising health care costs in the U.S. It comes three months after the committee heard from the CEOs of the country’s largest health insurers, who largely deflected blame onto hospitals and drugmakers. In attendance were the CEOs of some of the country’s largest health systems: HCA Healthcare, a for-profit system of 190 hospitals, and CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit system of 158 hospitals. The CEOs of New York-Presbyterian and North Carolina’s ECU Health were also there. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily intelligence on Capitol Hill and the life sciences industry — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In drug pricing, health care costs, hospitals, STAT+ Submit a correction requestReprints Tara Bannow Hospitals and Insurance Reporter Tara Bannow covers hospitals, providers, and insurers. You can reach Tara on Signal at tarabannow.70. Newsletter Unpacking the business — and secretive inner workings — of the U.S. health care industry Recommended Biotech April 28, 2026 STAT Plus: FDA launches effort to speed up clinical trials, using AI Biotech April 28, 2026 Fauci adviser David Morens indicted on charges of concealing emails, avoiding records requests Advertisement First Opinion April 28, 2026 It’s time to seize the rare bipartisan opening to address microplastics Politics April 28, 2026 STAT Plus: A giant question looms over GOP’s new Medicaid work requirements Health April 27, 2026 Supreme Court grapples with multibillion-dollar wave of lawsuits over Roundup cancer claims Subscriber Picks