Healthcare price transparency is back in the spotlight, as the federal government intensifies efforts to enforce previously established rules aimed at increasing clarity for patients. After years of uneven compliance, hospitals now face renewed pressure to make prices accessible and clear.
A March 5 blog post by Coronis Health outlines recent developments and emphasizes the importance of hospital compliance with transparency regulations.
Four takeaways:
Enforcement of transparency rules intensifies
President Trump signed a new executive order in late February mandating three federal agencies — Treasury, Labor and HHS — to urgently enforce healthcare price transparency regulations originally established in 2019. This renewed push aims to correct years of inadequate adherence.
Compliance rates remain alarmingly low
A November 2024 report from the Office of Inspector General found that only 21% of hospitals fully complied with transparency mandates, a drop down from 34.5% in a previous review. Patient advocacy groups, such as Patient Rights Advocate, emphasize that continued lack of transparency contributes significantly to rising healthcare costs, surprise billing and medical debt.
Specific disclosure requirements clarified
Hospitals must publicly disclose actual — not estimated — prices for up to 300 “shoppable” services, alongside a machine-readable file listing negotiated rates for all hospital services. Payers similarly face obligations to disclose negotiated rates with providers and out-of-network payment information.
Non-compliance penalties likely to increase
Historically, only a small fraction of non-compliant hospitals faced fines for ignoring transparency requirements. The latest executive order indicates that stricter enforcement and increased penalties are expected moving forward, making compliance critical for hospital administrators.
With transparency enforcement becoming more rigorous, hospitals are urged to proactively review their pricing disclosure practices. Ensuring clarity and accessibility in pricing is essential — not optional — in today’s regulatory landscape.
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