White House backs emerging deal on consumer health costs

White House endorsed an emerging bipartisan agreement Monday on legislation aimed at curbing rising health care costs, including taking steps to limit “surprise” medical bills that can plague patients treated in emergency rooms.

While deal’s fate remained uncertain, enactment could give President Donald Trump and lawmakers of both parties a chance to crow about a rare legislative achievement during a bitterly divisive period dominated by Democrats’ drive toward impeaching Trump .

House and Senate participants said measure would establish a system of arbitration aimed at resolving disputes over surprise bills, which can occur when patients are unwittingly treated by providers from outside ir insurance networks.

It would also raise federal minimum for buying tobacco products to 21 from its current 18, including for electronic smoking devices, aides said. It would provide $20 billion over five years to finance community health centers, which provide medical care to millions of lower-earning people in thousands of towns, and take steps toward limiting growth of prescription drug prices.

In a written statement, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said measure represents “months of delicate work” and expressed hope that Congress would approve it this year. Steadily growing medical costs have been a major problem that have angered voters for years, and lawmakers would love to be able to assert y’ve addressed it as next vember’s presidential and congressional elections approach.

Congress is scheduled to remain in session for two more weeks before adjourning for year, and it is uncertain if bill can be approved within that window. During this period, Democratic-led House will be moving toward approving articles of impeachment against Trump while lawmakers will also work on legislation aimed at preventing a government shutdown and financing federal ncies until next fall.

measure would limit some out-of-pocket costs for patients facing surprise bills from out-of-network providers. It would let health care providers or insurers seek binding arbitration to resolve disputes over who would have to bear remaining costs.

It would also take steps aimed at increasing prescription drug price competition. That would include limiting time that generic drug makers can block competitors from market, and requiring manufacturers to provide justification for some drug price increases to government, which would n make that information publicly available.

agreement was anunced Sunday by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of Senate health committee; Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee; and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., top Republican on House panel.

Alexander said in a statement that he doubted a bill could be produced with broader agreement “on Americans’ number one financial concern: what y pay out of ir own pockets for health care.” Pallone said measure “puts an end to this egregious billing practice,” while Walden said Americans are “sick and tired” of problem and want lawmakers to act.

top Democrat on Senate health committee, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, did t join ors in anuncing pact.

In a written statement, a spokeswoman said Murray “is working through members’ concerns” and hoped agreement could be reached to end surprise billing “without shifting costs back onto patients in or ways.”