Hospitals Struggle with Price Transparency Compliance, Leaving Patients in the Dark
Healthcare Dive
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Contributed by: Kate Gamble
Summary
A recent report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) indicates that many hospitals are not complying with price transparency regulations designed to provide patients with better access to healthcare costs. Out of 100 hospitals surveyed, 34 did not publish machine-readable files of their charges, and 14 failed to provide a consumer-friendly list of services. The report underscores the ongoing compliance challenges, particularly as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lacks adequate resources for enforcing these rules. Despite the implementation of the price transparency rule in 2021, only 46% of the 5,800 hospitals required to comply have done so, with providers citing confusion over the requirements as a barrier, especially among smaller hospitals.
