HEALTH Panel Act

# HEALTH Panel Act Summary **What the Bill Does** The HEALTH Panel Act would officially establish a "Panel of Health Advisors" within the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)—a nonpartisan government agency that analyzes the costs of legislation. Currently, this panel exists informally; the bill would give it legal authority. The panel would provide expert advice to help the CBO estimate how much health-related bills would cost and their potential effects on healthcare. The bill requires the panel to have 15 members serving three-year terms, with appointments split among the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Budget Committees and the CBO director. **Key Provisions and Impact** The bill mandates that the panel publish annual reports showing what recommendations it gave the CBO and how those recommendations were used.

These reports would be posted on the CBO's website for public access. This transparency measure affects primarily Congress (which would receive better health policy analysis) and the general public (which could see how expert advice shapes cost estimates of healthcare legislation). The bill has no direct impact on healthcare programs or benefits themselves. **Current Status** HR 751 is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House or Senate.