S. Brett Guthrie

04/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/17/2024 15:41

ICYMI: Health Chairman Brett Guthrie Questions HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the Biden Administration’s failures

In Case You Missed It - This afternoon,Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), who serves as the Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health, questioned Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in a sworn testimony before the Energy & Commerce's Health Subcommittee. Congressman Guthrie's questions to Secretary Becerra as prepared are below:


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Mr. Secretary, recent analysis expects seniors are paying over 20% more on average for their monthly Medicare Part D premiums this year as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with that increase reaching as high as 57% in some places like your home state of California. We're expecting those costs to increase even more in 2025. There is also evidence to suggest that 2024 will have the lowest number of independent Medicare Part D standalone plans offered to seniors since 2006.

I understand this is because of some of the Part D redesign policies in the IRA, such as the $2,000 out of pocket cap, that is driving these increases. To be clear, Republicans supported a Part D out of pocket cap in the bipartisan H.R. 19, but wanted to be sure this was done in a way that we could avoid the premium hikes seniors are expected to see.

  • Has your department done any analysis of just how high Part D premiums will rise as a result of the IRA and what the impact will be on seniors with fixed budgets?
  • Do you anticipate both premium increases and plans exiting the Part D market being a continual trend?


Mr. Secretary, we've already seen almost 10,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl seized at our Southern border this fiscal year alone, and yet, your budget only mentions fentanyl once in the footnotes. One thing you can do that's squarely in your jurisdiction is apply Title 42 policy to halt illicit narcotics from being trafficked across our Southern border from other countries. We have legislation to do this, the Securing the Border for Public Health Act.

  • Can you take this action administratively?
  • If not, would you support Congress giving you this authority and would you commit to using such authority? If not, why wouldn't you support this?

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