Health system CEOs face Congress on affordability, hearing shifts blame to opposing party's policies

The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing to examine the drivers of rising health‑care costs, calling CEOs of several large health systems to testify.

CEOs from HCA Healthcare, CommonSpirit Health, New York‑Presbyterian and ECU Health appeared relieved early on as some committee members seemed supportive.

The discussion quickly turned political, with members largely attributing high prices to policies of the opposing party rather than the health systems themselves.

The hearing follows a similar session three months earlier in which top health insurers shifted blame onto hospitals and drugmakers.