Republicans urged Congress and the FDA Monday to consider patient safety issues when establishing an approval pathway for generic versions of biologic drugs. The panel, hosted by Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, focused on provisions of the healthcare overhaul law that authorize the FDA to approve generic biologic drugs, often called biosimilars or follow-on biologics. Biologics are complex pharmaceuticals that are often made from living organisms. "This is the hearing I never got in my committee,... Read more

The House Republican Policy Committee has been described as “the ‘think tank’ for House Republicans.” Recently the suggestion has been made that, in order to save money, perhaps Republicans no longer need their think tank. I could not more strongly disagree. If the question is, do we save money or the Policy Committee, I would submit we must be bold enough to do both. The Policy Committee was founded more than six decades ago, in 1949, following a significant loss of Republican seats in the 1948 election. House Republicans at the time wanted a forum to consider “forward-looking Republican thinking.” Since then, this committee has held a prominent position in advocating for the core principles for which conservatives stand. It is tasked with two very important responsibilities: discuss legislation and report suggestions. Read more

The House Republican Policy Committee has been described as “the ‘think tank’ for House Republicans.” Recently the suggestion has been made that, in order to save money, perhaps Republicans no longer need their think tank. I could not more strongly disagree. If the question is, do we save money or the Policy Committee, I would submit we must be bold enough to do both. The Policy Committee was founded more than six decades ago, in 1949, following a significant loss of Republican seats in the 1948... Read more

Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are asking the agency that oversees Medicare to provide 2010 enrollment data for the Medicare prescription drug program so they can track changes sparked by the healthcare reform law. The open enrollment period for the 2011 Medicare benefits begins Nov. 15. In a letter sent Friday to acting CMS administrator Marilyn Tavenner, ranking member Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) explain they want to be able to monitor the ef... Read more

To listen to the audio of the address, click here. Texas Republican Rep. Michael Burgess took a strong stand on the new health care reform law yesterday morning, arguing that opponents must stop its implementation by targeting its funding. He also predicted that there would not be a permanent fix to the Medicare sustainable growth rate until at least after the 2010 election. Burgess, a licensed obstetrician and the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, told attende... Read more

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (Texas-26) has scheduled a Town Hall meeting in North Texas for this Saturday, June 26th. The Town Hall give residents of Texas’ 26th Congressional District the chance to learn more about health care reform, taxes and spending, energy legislation, immigration reform, or any other issues. Those interested are encouraged to attend and bring questions for Congressman Burgess to answer. Read more

Madam Speaker, just within the past hour, Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana addressed the Congressional Health Care Caucus. He gave us some particular insights as to what's been happening in his State of Indiana with regards to health care costs. But, in particular, he expressed how distressed he was over the health care bill that the Democrats passed in March. He described it as a "lost opportunity of historic proportions that perpetuates and extends the problems of the existing system." I couldn't agree more. Read more

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), Chairman on the Congressional Health Care Caucus, released the following statement after voting “yes” on the 19-month extension to Medicare physician payments: ”When will our nation’s doctors finally get the permanent fix to the Medicare payment formula that they need and deserve? This nagging problem was ignored in the Democrats’ sweeping health care reform legislation, and even before then, and now once again today, only monthly fixes are being made. Each time the Democratic Leadership in Congress puts off a permanent fix, the problem only gets worse and more expensive. I have a bill - HR 3963, the Ensuring the Future Physician Workforce Act – that would finally implement a permanent fix to the formula Medicare uses to determine payment to doctor. The legislation would repeal the flawed SGR formula and create a sustainable and reliable payment schedule using the Medicare Economic Index." Read more

Mr. Speaker, we find ourselves up against another deadline for the so-called ``doc fix,'' and this happens because this Congress lacks the courage to solve the problem. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, the longer we put off doing a permanent fix, the more expensive it gets. If the problem had been fixed 5 years ago, it would have cost $49 billion. Here is an ad that the AMA has been running in some of the papers here on Capitol Hill. The cost to fix the bill now is $210 billion, but if we wait 3 years,... Read more

Although legislation that would require hospitals, physicians and others to disclose their prices has attracted some support in the U.S. House of Representatives, the pending bills may be stalled because of a key lawmaker's concerns about them. Each of the three bills would require hospitals to disclose more of their prices, but they diverge after that. The most sweeping measure would require hospitals, physicians, health plans, drug companies, dentists, nurses and others to disclose wholesale a... Read more