Hospital CEOs defended their pricing practices at a House hearing, accused of overcharging patients and exploiting the system. Executives from HCA Healthcare, CommonSpirit Health, New York-Presbyterian and ECU Health testified defending their practices, arguing they should be able to charge higher prices for the same services compared to what patients might pay at independent practices. Republicans cited instances of hospitals charging high prices at outpatient facilities affiliated with the hospital, often inflated by facility fees that help cover expenses like staff and equipment. The CEOs argued that the higher fees are due to higher quality of their care and a federal requirement for hospitals to care for all patients regardless of their ability to pay. However, Democrats accused them of using the hearing as a distraction from the impact of Medicaid cuts.