Hospitals Still Failing to Comply with Federal Price Transparency Standards
By Consumers for Quality Care, on March 20, 2024
Most hospitals across the country are still not compliant with federal price transparency laws, according to a study conducted by Patient Rights Advocate (PRA) and reported by Healthcare Dive. In fact, a smaller percentage of hospitals are in compliance now than when PRA released their last study in July 2023.
Since January 1, 2021, hospitals have been required to disclose “clear, accessible pricing information” for their products and services, either by posting these prices for consumers through a “consumer-friendly” display.
But in their sixth semi-annual report, PRA found that just 34.5 percent of all hospitals have complied with these federal rules, down from the 36 percent of hospitals that were found to be compliant in PRA’s last semi-annual report. While most hospitals were found to have posted their prices publicly, the majority were found to be posting incomplete or misleading price information. This lack of information prevents consumers from being able to make educated decisions about their health care needs.
PRA is calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase enforcement of the law, stating, “These analyses imply that minimal, lenient enforcement by CMS has led most hospitals to continue to disregard the rule.” More work needs to be done to ensure hospitals comply with federal standards. CQC urges increased oversight to ensure hospitals are releasing accurate price transparency data in a timely, accessible way that benefits consumers. Patients have a right to the information they need to compare costs, and hospitals should be held accountable when they fail to provide this information.
