Sponsors (2)
Creates an expert advisory Panel to improve CBO's health-cost estimates and transparency for lawmakers and the public, while imposing modest taxpayer-funded administrative costs and introducing risks of conflicts of interest and partisan influence.
Lawmakers and taxpayers: CBO will receive expert health-technical input, improving the accuracy of health care cost estimates and budget projections that inform federal policy decisions.
Lawmakers, hospitals, and health systems: The Panel brings economics, actuarial, clinical, and Medicare/Medicaid expertise into CBO analysis, broadening perspectives and improving policy-relevant analysis for health programs.
Taxpayers and the public: The requirement that the Panel publish an annual report and explain how recommendations were used increases transparency and public accountability of CBO's health-related analyses.
Patients, taxpayers, and people with chronic conditions: If disclosures or safeguards are insufficient, conflicts of interest could bias Panel advice and CBO analyses toward special interests.
Taxpayers and the congressional budget process: The appointment structure (committee chairs and ranking members each appoint members) creates a risk that partisan influence could shape Panel recommendations and CBO priorities.
Taxpayers and federal employees: Establishing and supporting the Panel and producing annual reports will generate modest administrative costs and added workload funded by taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a 15-member advisory Panel in CBO to review and recommend improvements to CBO health analyses and require an annual public report on recommendations and CBO’s responses.
Creates a 15-member Panel of Health Advisors inside the Congressional Budget Office to provide technical expertise and formal recommendations to improve CBO’s health and health-care studies, models, analyses, and cost estimates. The Panel will meet at least annually, issue an annual report documenting recommendations approved by a majority of members and describe how CBO used them, and the Director must publish that report on CBO’s website. Members serve as special government employees, are appointed by Budget Committee leaders and the CBO Director to staggered three-year terms (with a two-term limit), and the Director may require conflict‑of‑interest disclosures and confidentiality agreements. The bill also updates the Act’s table of contents.
Official title: To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to codify the Panel of Health Advisors within the Congressional Budget Office, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 28, 2025 by Buddy Carter · Last progress January 28, 2025