Hospitals and health insurers are still fighting the White House to keep healthcare prices a secret.
More than two dozen hospital associations are asking the Trump Administration not to enforce an executive order (known as the Price Transparency Rule) requiring them to publish their negotiated prices for health services, starting in January 2021. The hospital groups say they don't have the time or resources in light of the pandemic. David Balat, the director of the Right to Healthcare initiative at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, says the White House isn't likely to back down on the measure which improves transparency.
“Surprise medical billing has been at the forefront. People are seeing the disparities and the price gauging associated with some the testing that we’ve seen with COVID. People received bills for thousands of dollars for a COVID test,” Balat said.
Balat adds the American Hospital Association recently lost a lawsuit against the Trump Administration's order, but they are appealing.