The latest report by non-profit organisation PatientRightsAdvocate (PRA) has revealed a significant decrease in US hospital compliance with the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule.
Of the 2,000 US hospitals surveyed, only 21.1% currently comply with the rule, which requires hospitals to publicly post all their prices online.
This marks a substantial decline from the 34.5% compliance rate reported in February this year.
Only 421 (21.1%) of the hospitals were fully compliant with the transparency rule while 335 (16.8%) disclosed sufficient dollar-and-cent pricing information.
Hospital systems such as Christus Health, Baylor Scott & White, and HCA Healthcare showed varying levels of compliance, while discrepancies were noted within large hospital systems.
PRA founder and chairman Cynthia Fisher said: “Unfortunately, our seventh Hospital Price Transparency Compliance Report reveals that after nearly four years, the overwhelming majority of hospitals reviewed are still not complying with the rule requiring them to publish their discounted cash prices and all negotiated rates.
“By keeping their prices hidden, hospitals continue to block American consumers from their right to compare prices and protect themselves from overcharges.
“On behalf of all American healthcare consumers, PatientRightsAdvocate.org strongly urges policymakers to strengthen and enforce the hospital price transparency rule immediately.”
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been lenient in enforcing penalties, issuing notices to only 15 hospitals over four years, with just one issued this year.
According to PRA, some hospitals that previously met the standards have since regressed, removing previously implemented transparency measures critical for consumer protection.
From 1 July this year, CMS introduced reduced transparency standards that seemingly improved hospital compliance figures.
Under these revised standards, hospitals have been able to exclude specific pricing details necessary for consumers to make informed comparisons and decisions.
PRA's assessment of Pricing Data Sufficiency in its latest report reflects the availability of actual price data within the hospitals' disclosures.
