RAPID RESPONSE – What price transparency lawsuits mean for hospitals and health systems

Touch Point Podcast
Touch Point Podcast
RAPID RESPONSE - What price transparency lawsuits mean for hospitals and health systems
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Last week, several hospital groups filed lawsuits against HHS around the agency’s rule stating that payers and providers must reveal their negotiated rates. That rule was designed as part of the current administration’s push for price transparency. There’s been lots of excellent discussion about the lawsuits, and whether HHS even has the authority to create a rule forcing transparency around private negotiations.

But the real issue isn’t CMS/HHS. It’s consumers. The bottom line? Patients don’t want to know hospital prices. They want to know how much it will cost them. If people know what’s medical care is going to cost them ahead of time, they’re more likely to pay.

Even if the government’s efforts to impose price transparency are unsuccessful, the core issue won’t go away. Consumers are not going to let it. So, however the legal situation plays out, hospitals and health systems shouldn’t just sit by and wait until the dust settles. Here’s what Kim Fox, Partner and Regional Practice Lead at Jarrard Inc, says they can do today.

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David Shifrin

A Left-handed PhD working in a world of right-handed MDs, David is the editorial manager at Jarrard Phillips Cate and Hancock. With over a decade of experience in research, writing and content development, he specializes in curating ideas and making technical concepts accessible to broad audiences. In short, Shifrin helps thought leaders move past jargon to present core messages in a meaningful way.

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