Latest news with #HospitalPriceTransparencyRule
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Attorney general targets 2 Florida hospitals over lack of price transparency
Attorney General James Uthmeier issued subpoenas Friday to Florida-based hospitals to ensure they comply with price transparency laws. 'Patients are still consumers, and they deserve transparency,' Uthmeier said in a video posted on X. 'The big healthcare industry complex continues to rake in billions off Americans in their most vulnerable moments. We must protect patients.' Uthmeier said under Florida law, a hospital's failure to provide price disclosure may constitute an unfair and deceptive trade practice. He said his subpoenas are related to patient charges, disclosures, billing practice, price transparency and surprise billing protections. The attorney general said his investigation is in line with President Donald Trump's price transparency executive order. Patient advocacy groups in Florida have been pushing for more price transparency. 'Hospitals have hidden their prices yet have forced patients to sign a blank check before they can get care,' said Cynthia A. Fisher, founder and chairman of a nonprofit focused on healthcare price transparency. 'As long as prices have been hidden, hospitals have been able to charge whatever they want. The attorney general's action aims to protect patients by providing actual, upfront prices. This investigation will protect Floridians from hospitals' predatory practices, prevent overcharges, and make bills accountable.' Uthmeier's subpoenas were delivered to Southern Baptist Hospital of Florida in Jacksonville and Adventist Health (Advent Health) in Central Florida, according to the advocacy group. released its seventh semi-annual Hospital Price Transparency Report in fall 2024, which examined 2,000 hospitals' compliance with the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule. The November 2024 report indicates that only 29% of hospitals in Florida were fully compliant with the federal price transparency rule, a drop from 41% in February 2024. Only 39 of 135 Florida hospitals reviewed were fully complying with the rule. 'By keeping their prices hidden, hospitals continue to block American consumers from their right to compare prices and protect themselves from overcharges,' Fisher said. 'During a patient's most vulnerable hour, all too often, hospitals require them to sign contracts accepting full financial responsibility without acknowledging any prices. Florida law clearly states that unfair and deceptive acts and practices are 'unlawful,' which include omitting material information like prices. Yet, that is exactly what Florida hospitals have been doing.' Florida Health Price Finder is a state-operated website developed by the Agency for Health Care Administration to show prices of common services. South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
PatientRightsAdvocate.org Calls on Nevada Gov. Lombardo to Support Hospital Price Transparency Bill
A.B. 343 would turn Trump executive order into state law CARSON CITY, Nev., May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- (PRA) is urging Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo to sign A.B. 343, major legislation to deliver hospital price transparency to Nevadans that was passed out of the Nevada Legislature earlier this week. If enacted, the bill would require Nevada hospitals to post all actual prices of available services online, so patients can see upfront prices before care, as well as provide tools for patients to seek recourse when they have been overcharged. It would codify the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule first enacted in January 2021 under President Donald J. Trump and since expanded in February 2025. "A new era for Nevada patients is on the horizon, and now it's up to Governor Lombardo to make healthcare history for his state," said PRA Founder and Chairman Cynthia Fisher. "This monumental legislation will protect Nevadans from hospital overcharges, surprise bills, and hidden fees with guaranteed access to upfront, actual prices in exact dollars and cents. Complete price transparency will be transformative to lower the costs of care and coverage for families, employers, unions, and Nevada's entire healthcare market." According to a new poll conducted by Echelon Insights, 96% of Americans agree that healthcare consumers should know the upfront price of their care. Meanwhile, according to PRA's Seventh Semi-Annual Hospital Price Transparency Report, only 35% of Nevada hospitals reviewed are fully complying with the federal price transparency rule. Of the 2,000 hospitals reviewed nationwide, just 21% were found to be in full compliance. "We applaud Nevada lawmakers, especially the bill's sponsor, Assembly Speaker Yeager, for responding to not only the urgency but also the popularity of this commonsense issue," added Fisher. "The fight for real prices is a nationwide movement that is growing each day, from the nation's capital to state capitals. Governor Lombardo can help Nevada join states like Ohio and Oklahoma that each enacted similar bills this year codifying President Trump's price transparency rule to put patients first. We strongly encourage Governor Lombardo to seize the opportunity at hand and sign A.B. 343." About PRA (PRA) is a leading national healthcare price transparency organization dedicated to ushering in systemwide transparency through advocacy, testimony, media, legal research, and grassroots campaigns. PRA believes that the availability and visibility of actual, upfront healthcare prices will greatly lower costs for patients and employers through a functional, competitive healthcare marketplace. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Patient Rights Advocate Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
