Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) introduced bipartisan legislation that would repeal the Affordable Care Act’s ban on new physician owned hospitals – H.R. 1330,  the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2021.

“Physician-owned hospitals play an important role in providing quality, efficient, and cost-effective care in modern medicine,” said Congressman Burgess. “Patient care begins and ends with doctors, and no one is more aware of this fact than physicians themselves. It is wrong that the Affordable Care Act penalizes physicians simply for the two letters behind their name, which is why Representative Gonzalez and I introduced the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2021 to restore doctors’ freedom to innovate and serve their patients. We must remove burdensome restrictions so that hospitals are able to provide quality care at lower cost for patients in Texas and around the country.”

“Lowering health care costs, increasing access and patient choice must be among our top priorities when it comes to health policy,” said Congressman Gonzalez.  “Physician-owned hospitals offer more competition and expanded opportunities for care for individuals in South Texas and across the United States. I’m proud to be part of this bipartisan effort to renew competition and lower health care costs to make quality, affordable health care available to all.”

“DHR Health applauds Dr. Burgess and Congressman Gonzalez for working in a bipartisan fashion to repeal the anti-competitive, unnecessary, and punitive restrictions placed on physician-owned hospitals.  There are approximately 250 physician-owned hospitals around the country providing high-quality care to their communities at a low cost.  We urge all of Congress and the Biden Administration to work with Dr. Burgess and Congressman Gonzalez to increase competition, reduce costs, improve quality, and increase access to health care for all Americans by immediately repealing the moratorium on physician-owned hospitals,” said Dr. Carlos Cardenas, Chairman of the Board, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Ltd. (DHR Health).

Physician Hospitals of America (PHA) applauds Representatives Michael Burgess, M.D. and Vincente Gonzalez for introducing important bipartisan legislation that will help ensure patients have access to high quality, lower cost healthcare. Physician-owned hospitals have invested in their local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic by converting medical and surgical units to treat COVID-19 patients; have ensured patients with emergent surgical needs receive care; and have participating in epidemiological surveillance and COVID-19 testing programs. “We appreciate Congressman Burgess and Gonzalez for their leadership and support of physician-owned hospitals.  These hospitals have proven that with physicians at the helm, they deliver the highest quality care to patients and this bill would ensure more Medicare patients are able to benefit from them,” said John Richardson, Executive Director of PHA. 

Read the full text of H.R. 1330, here.