Over 500 hospitals still hide prices despite federal transparency rule

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, under the Trump administration, published a roster of more than 500 hospitals in 45 states and the District of Columbia that have failed to meet the federal price-transparency rule. Although hospitals possess sophisticated billing systems that already contain the required data, the article contends that existing policies do not make disclosure financially attractive. It highlights that even in jurisdictions with stringent transparency laws, such as Texas, dozens of hospitals still evade compliance.

The piece argues that further guidance will not solve the issue; instead, consistent and credible enforcement is needed to shift incentives. It proposes measures like prohibiting debt-collection activities for non-compliant hospitals and points to state-level experiments in Texas, Colorado, and North Carolina as models. Ultimately, the author urges policymakers to move from naming violators to imposing meaningful penalties that force openness.