Congress Approves Spending Package Advancing NABIP Healthcare Priorities

Key provisions address PBM transparency, drug costs, and consumer protections

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) applauded Congress for approving a government spending package that includes several critical healthcare provisions NABIP has long championed, aimed at confronting rising healthcare costs, strengthening consumer protections, and improving the accuracy and integrity of health coverage information.

Why it matters

These reforms address systemic practices that inflate costs, distort pricing, and ultimately harm consumers and employers. NABIP has been calling for action on these issues for years, and the inclusion of PBM transparency and site-neutral payment reforms in this package is seen as a major policy win with implications across every segment of the healthcare market.

The details

Key provisions in the package include measures to increase pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) transparency and require prescription drug rebates and related payments to be passed through to health plans, helping curb practices that inflate drug costs and obscure the true cost of coverage. The legislation also strengthens Medicare site-neutral payment policies to address excessive costs, improves oversight of Medicare Advantage provider directories to protect beneficiaries, and reinforces implementation of the No Surprises Act to shield consumers from surprise medical bills.

  • The government spending package was approved by Congress on February 5, 2026.

The players

National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP)

The preeminent organization for health insurance and employee benefits professionals, working to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare and related benefits.

Jessica Brooks Woods

CEO of NABIP.

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What they’re saying

“The inclusion of PBM transparency and site-neutral payment reforms in this package is a major policy win with implications across every segment of the healthcare market.”

— Jessica Brooks Woods, CEO of NABIP (PRNewswire)

What’s next

NABIP will continue pressing policymakers to ensure these reforms are implemented as intended and to build on this momentum with additional solutions that promote transparency, affordability, and access to care across all markets.

The takeaway

These long-overdue reforms address systemic practices that inflate costs, distort pricing, and ultimately harm consumers and employers. The approval of this spending package represents a significant step forward in NABIP's efforts to increase transparency, accountability, and affordability across the healthcare system.