President Trump and his administration have revived efforts to require hospitals and health plans to disclose their prices and rates to patients. The administration issued an executive order Feb. 25, that mandates the secretaries of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services (HHS) implement price transparency regulations by late May.i
The first Trump administration issued an executive order in 2019, that directed pricing transparency and then finalized a rule to implement it. Hospitals challenged that rule in court, but complied slowly when it was upheld.ii The new executive order requires the government to accelerate regulatory enforcement.
Specifically, the three departments must require healthcare entities to disclose the actual prices of medical items and services, not estimates. Additionally, they must provide current guidance or proposed regulations to facilitate standard, comparable pricing information across hospitals and health plans. They also must offer guidance or proposed rules to enforce compliance.
Notably, the 2019 final rule based on the prior executive order listed more than a dozen imaging services for which hospitals were to disclose pricing. Those included MRIs of the leg joints, lower back X-rays and CT imaging of the pelvis with contrast. HHS cited 18 studies that determined displaying charges for radiology services changed ordering physicians’ behavior and reduced costs.iii
The College is closely monitoring this significant development. If you have questions or would like more information, contact Katie Keysor, ACR® Senior Director, Economic Policy, Economics.
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