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The group Patient Rights Advocate analyzed the websites of 2,000
hospitals nationwide and found a low percentage were posting
their prices.
“Only 25% of the nation’s largest hospitals in our report are
showing full compliance with the law to post all of their
prices,” said PRA founder and CEO Cynthia Fisher.
According to the report, Illinois hospitals fared slightly
better complying with the price transparency law. Twenty-two out
of 59 hospitals reviewed were fully complying with the rule,
which is 37%.
Some of the hospitals that are complying include the Advocate
Hospital System, Northwestern Hospitals, Springfield Memorial
Hospital and the University of Illinois Medical Center.
Nearly 6%, or 116 hospitals nationwide, did not post any
standard charges file and were in total noncompliance.
Hospitals found to be noncompliant are supposed to be subject to
a minimum fine of $300 and a maximum fine of $5,500 per day for
a total fine of $2,000,000.
Fisher said patients benefit if they can see the prices before
they choose a health care provider.
“Then we can see the wide price variations, even in the same
hospital themselves for the same service, and we make hospitals
and insurance companies have to compete on price and quality,”
said Fisher.
Some hospitals and health care systems have argued that the rule
is too expensive to implement and remains confusing two years
later.
Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in
Illinois for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of
experience in radio news reporting throughout the Midwest.
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