[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,86],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},"mediaId",6186662,"mediaKeyId","5074432-6adfb7a0f8c536f5cfb56d47192bc630","parentId",5074432,"title","Lawmakers and experts warn H.R. 1 would cut coverage, increase uncompensated care and undercut access to digital health benefits","audioSeconds",271,"startMs",1273000,"endMs",1544000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074432-6adfb7a0f8c536f5cfb56d47192bc630&start=1273&end=1544","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074432-6adfb7a0f8c536f5cfb56d47192bc630/thumbnail_1273000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6186662/Lawmakers-and-experts-warn-HR-1-would-cut-coverage-increase-uncompensated-care-and-undercut-access-to-digital-health-benefits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186662-c5761567c3337f7cdf0d80e727b7f4db/orig.mp4?Expires=1770245494&Signature=cFoly7sqThsVn33ftggOtIcl3EqGOt0I6Ms0ItsmtVv7UpfNwWyJJAM65hkEr-TM5dNrZizw03upGttFSkC7ZCjVe4K8~itfzvWD58dxEa~kUGQTmyhmlf69hBxqs3FVk~MP8V7LWZyYGkLqatGkFFwj2R0jwjBzNIk3JId98cnTbF5GNly0HLPE4iUQ99zjkSoTmYgo3FuG2CfSzN-XVFy0YYZPAqDOCYiM1oCBGkhKcdPKCJHO3TEed6ytgzbmsQKXT8fsLpF1Oz~qm5sHdNgj3vCUMxLrcwJmFzt-qKxf4ITj9JimzQM~hA2WNUY5SPvciIElOn5Bve5AKm8jVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means","date","2025-06-26T03:33:24Z","article","Republican‑led budget reconciliation proposals discussed during a House health subcommittee hearing were criticized by members and an academic witness as likely to cause large coverage losses, reduce provider revenues and impede patient access to digital health tools.

Sabrina Corlette, research professor and co‑director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, told the panel that the bill \"would actually make it harder for people to obtain health care, tying them up in a maze of bureaucracy, raising their premiums, and imposing new federal mandates.\" Corlette testified that a $1,000,000,000,000 reduction in health‑care program spending would significantly increase uninsurance.

Representative Lloyd Doggett (referred to in the hearing as Representative Doggett) warned that the reconciliation package would trigger statutory PAYGO sequestration and described a projected Medicare reduction he said would be \"$500,000,000,000 cut beginning on October 1,\" a point he raised during his opening remarks.

Why it matters: Several members said that cutting coverage, reducing provider payments and increasing uncompensated care will blunt the practical benefits of digital health technologies, which require clinician access and continuity of care to be effective.

Key figures cited in the hearing (as stated to the committee)
- Coverage losses: Multiple members repeated a figure that roughly 16,000,000 people could lose coverage under the proposed changes and the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits. Corlette and others said many of those affected are currently eligible for coverage but would be disconnected by new requirements and paperwork.
- Provider revenue and uncompensated care: Corlette cited analyses projecting roughly $1,030,000,000,000 in reduced provider revenue over a 10‑year window and a $278,000,000,000 increase in uncompensated care costs; members referenced a University of North Carolina analysis that estimated about 300 rural hospitals could be at risk of closure or service reduction.
- Medicare sequestration: Representative Doggett and others raised statutory PAYGO concerns and cited projected cuts beginning in October that would reduce provider payments annually in the committee's view.

Member concerns about downstream effects
Lawmakers said these cuts would make it harder for patients to afford devices or follow‑up care even if wearables become cheaper, and that increased uncompensated care would shift costs to commercially insured populations and hospitals. Multiple representatives said they would submit materials for the hearing record and pressed witnesses on how payment and coverage policy affects the ability of rural and low‑income patients to benefit from digital health.

Ending
The witness panel urged targeted policy action — preserving research funding, modernizing Medicare coverage pathways for digital tools and clarifying reimbursement for RPM — and warned Congress that scaling digital health depends on maintaining access to care and stable provider funding.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Health Subcommittee Hearing: Health at Your Fingertips: Harnessing the Power of Digital Health Data","oneSentenceSummary","Several members and an academic witness told the House health subcommittee that proposed reconciliation changes (H.R. 1) would strip millions of insurance enrollees of coverage, reduce provider revenues and make it harder for patients to use digital health tools, citing CBO estimates and other analyses presented during the hearing.","taxTitle","Ways and Means: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1828,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6186666,"Committee hearing spotlights gaps in privacy and calls to expand HIPAA, bolster TEFCA and accountability for third parties",5926,2839000,8765000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074432-6adfb7a0f8c536f5cfb56d47192bc630&start=2839&end=8765","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074432-6adfb7a0f8c536f5cfb56d47192bc630/thumbnail_2839000.jpg","/articles/6186666/Committee-hearing-spotlights-gaps-in-privacy-and-calls-to-expand-HIPAA-bolster-TEFCA-and-accountability-for-third-parties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186666-a3e546c5de2717c2629215e4bbe967cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770245494&Signature=DwUiyU9nXz6~5d44RXC~Vt4V9bYSxTJcyeVgHGTiTkQUlBellFn7N4ZFh2R8TgQ7aOnuolP9RyR9gLhfRY4-hWFSZ~i7GAQFBHVwzGeITC5Gyf8zUny3sXjjsf1TBdU0I2uI6eB2KJRI5HjY-qh757jFXXHSPXCcYfRAsbVtF8GYYP24SEWkz403~zcwafR91n2p7h0aaJ5kG-pN-K2gRQuo0dGbFzl2jqGmFm0QUSFHW8qkbJYZ0dIDwQ6kHCS5n6g-HW0i-f3GbyKEEz2zt7csJ8Mb-lRV7aw60A48f9~XQTOMJuc7~Nm0KEm5ugNQYeyhT3Rc-xJgKmVfR5viHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Witnesses and members at a House health subcommittee hearing said existing privacy rules leave gaps when patient data flows outside traditional health‑care actors — and they urged Congress to close those gaps or require higher standards for exchange networks.

Jackie Gerhardt, a practicing family physician and chief medical officer at Epic, told the committee that \"HIPAA only covers actors like health systems, insurers, and their contracted business associates such as Epic,\" and that patients can be confused about which apps and third parties are covered. She said that is one reason Epic supports TEFCA, the federally endorsed trust framework, because it requires participants to adhere to higher privacy standards.

Why it matters: Several members and witnesses pointed to instances where data collected outside covered entities could be used in ways patients did not expect — including marketing, sale to third parties or legal solicitation — and noted particular risks in the post‑Dobbs era where reproductive‑health data could be used for prosecution.

Specific concerns and examples
- Class‑action solicitation and law‑firm access: During questioning, witnesses and members said law firms have used health‑app data to recruit clients; Jackie Gerhardt described class‑action litigation where firms portrayed themselves as health providers for data access. The committee heard that law firms are not HIPAA‑covered entities and thus are not subject to HIPAA's constraints in the same way health systems are.
- Consumer apps and period trackers: Members referenced reporting that some period‑tracking apps obscure privacy practices and may share data with third parties; witnesses said users can be misled into believing HIPAA protections apply when they do not.
- Government contracting and large platforms: A member asked about Palantir's work with federal public‑health data; witnesses said HIPAA covers only certain entities and that outsourced arrangements must be examined case‑by‑case.

Panel recommendations and policy options
Witnesses and members offered a range of policy responses: (1) expand HIPAA or craft new legislation to cover entities that exchange or hold patient data outside traditional health‑care actors; (2) require stronger privacy commitments for networks that participate in TEFCA or federal data platforms; (3) ensure data‑use transparency so consumers understand where their data flows and for what purpose.

Caveats
Experts on the panel also warned against unintentionally stifling innovation. Dr. Kristen Holmes and others argued that policies should preserve \"innovation zones\" such as provisions in the 21st Century Cures Act and appropriate FDA guidances that have allowed consumer wellness technologies to develop.

Ending
Members pressed witnesses for specific fixes and said they would seek follow‑up materials. The session closed with members reserving two weeks to submit written questions for the record.

","EHR vendors, academics and members of Congress warned that current privacy rules do not cover many apps and third parties that handle health‑related data, and urged lawmakers to extend protections or require higher standards for exchange networks.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6186671,"Witnesses tell House health subcommittee wearables, remote monitoring and AI can cut hospitalizations and costs",8403,992000,9395000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074432-6adfb7a0f8c536f5cfb56d47192bc630&start=992&end=9395","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074432-6adfb7a0f8c536f5cfb56d47192bc630/thumbnail_992000.jpg","/articles/6186671/Witnesses-tell-House-health-subcommittee-wearables-remote-monitoring-and-AI-can-cut-hospitalizations-and-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186671-45f16e8faaed231e759eef47babf1e30/orig.mp4?Expires=1770245494&Signature=Tswyk1sBIlPxHhmugBpKnZxwy5nxRhj8eVHyrLNl-Omb2W7vnbXZVwk8Sog-LtANX5H-zmevqJIVZjbQZEFAbbbH9Kqd39f6mW55ya4s9~26jxASzm2pXBofge3pCIa-wAflE8umgp51HD3YDCPhzEUX4BoVinfCLwLit8AHSxA7whWU0GgHvLyIm-opmOZ-I5K-~Y-1pEZaVKE9iPPx1aIxKFDCBZxDn2KyjmvLH2qE0ptnjNxO7T8B0VtWQSQ9oWIPSKpqeUxEDRdLNe4-6vNK3qu0jcIOo9w-oXO319jip4pLbEaPDv9oRBMJAAcnh8EUlx1-BZTk9YMB3rWMcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Witnesses at a House health subcommittee hearing on digital health said wearables, remote patient monitoring (RPM) and artificial intelligence can reduce hospitalizations, improve chronic‑condition management and lower health‑care spending — but emphasized those gains depend on coverage, reimbursement and privacy safeguards.

Dr. Kristen Holmes, principal scientist and global head of human performance at Whoop, told the panel that wearable data is shifting care from episodic to continuous. \"Wearable biometric data is transforming from novelty to necessity,\" she said, adding that wearables can support research and earlier intervention for conditions ranging from infection to preterm birth.

Why it matters: Witnesses offered specific examples and early‑stage outcome estimates that members said could translate into large system‑level savings if adoption and payment policies expand access. Several members pushed back that innovations alone will not help people who lose insurance or cannot afford care.

Most important claims and evidence
- Whoop: Holmes cited studies and pilots that her company and academic partners have published, and told members Whoop is developing tools that fuse continuous physiologic signals with biomarkers. She said wearables can improve diabetes treatment and cited published research linking wearable use to treatment adherence and reduced costs.
- RPM providers: Andrew Zangolowski, cofounder and CEO of CoachCare, described RPM as \"an extension of the clinical staff\" and said his company reduced hospitalizations among a cohort of 450 patients with chronic heart failure from 19.8% to 1.7%. He added, \"I can monitor a patient for 50 years for the cost of an ambulance ride and a few days in the hospital.\"
- Clinical IT: Jackie Gerhardt, chief medical officer at Epic, described how patient device data can flow into electronic health records and cited large exchange volumes: she said Epic customers exchanged roughly 700,000,000 patient records in a recent month and responded to more than 111,000,000,000 interoperability calls last year.

Supporting detail
Committee members and witnesses described several concrete benefits: earlier detection of infections and preterm birth signals from wearables, remote titration of medications for hypertension and heart failure, and administrative savings from AI that can draft clinical notes or find documentation needed for prior authorization. Zangolowski and Gerhardt both stressed that clinical oversight is required: consumer wearables provide context but clinical decisions should rely on FDA‑cleared devices and clinician review.

Caveats and implementation challenges
Lawmakers and witnesses repeatedly flagged three barriers: (1) coverage and payment. Zangolowski urged action to modernize Medicare and RPM reimbursement and warned that continuing cuts to Medicare and technology‑related services have strained small providers. (2) Access for rural and low‑income populations. Witnesses and members said affordability, broadband and workforce shortages limit reach. (3) Privacy and data validity. Gerhardt noted HIPAA does not cover all apps and urged clearer rules for entities exchanging patient data.

Audience and next steps
Members pressed witnesses on policy responses: expanding reimbursement pathways (including clearer, faster Medicare coverage), preserving research funding and guarding privacy while maintaining innovation zones such as the 21st Century Cures Act and FDA guidances for general wellness products. Several members asked for follow‑up written answers and documents; the chair closed by advising members will submit written questions for the record.

Ending
Witnesses framed digital health as a tool to shift care toward prevention and continuous management, but emphasized that policy choices on payment, privacy and access will determine whether the technologies reach patients who need them most.

","Witnesses at a House health subcommittee hearing urged lawmakers to support remote patient monitoring, wearables and AI as tools to reduce hospital readmissions and health-care costs, while several members warned access and payment policy must be addressed for benefits to reach rural and low‑income patients.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers and experts warn H.R. 1 would cut coverage, increase uncompensated care and undercut access to digital health benefits

Committee hearing spotlights gaps in privacy and calls to expand HIPAA, bolster TEFCA and accountability for third parties

Witnesses tell House health subcommittee wearables, remote monitoring and AI can cut hospitalizations and costs