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Winter 2022  Volume 15, Number 4        
 

Majority of Hospitals Ignore Hospital Price Transparency Law

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that most hospitals ignore the Hospital Price Transparency Law, which requires them to post both patient-accessible and machine-readable prices for common procedures.

The law is intended to clarify the hidden costs of services for patients so they can make more informed decisions about their care. However, the study found that only 300 hospitals out of 5,000 fully complied with the rule to publish machine-readable files and price estimators.

Many hospitals published one of the two, but 50% had neither. Hospitals with lower revenues, those in urban areas, and those in places with few other health care options exhibited a higher degree of compliance.

The study shows a fundamental problem with a law meant to protect patients from being blindsided by the high cost of their care. When hospitals don’t comply, patients are left in the dark and may be unable to make informed decisions about their health.

Hospital Non-Compliance Is Ignored

A survey conducted by PatientRightsAdvocate.org of 1,000 hospitals between December 2021 and January 2022 found that only 14.3 percent of hospitals fully complied with the law. According to the study, the biggest issue was that 85 percent of hospitals did not post a complete machine-readable price list of all the procedures they offer.

Furthermore, 84.9 percent of hospitals didn’t provide drug prices, while more than 60 percent didn’t publish sufficient negotiated rates.

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In this issue:

This Just In...“Cash” Pharmacies Don’t Take Insurance but Save Patients Money

Rising Demand for Life Insurance in a Post-Pandemic World

How to Afford Long-Term Care as Prices Rise

How to Protect Yourself from Medicare Scams

Majority of Hospitals Ignore Hospital Price Transparency Law

 

 

 


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