A bipartisan group of senators wants patients to know more about the prices for healthcare services in an effort to lower staggering costs.
The group of six senators launched a healthcare price transparency initiative on Thursday. The senators are seeking responses from dozens of healthcare groups to a dozen questions on how patients can find out what medical care costs.
“In virtually every other industry, consumers are able to price shop, compare quality and then decide what product best fits their needs,” according to a letter from the senators to the groups. “In healthcare, the lack of information and the inability to access it hurts patients and prevents normal market forces from driving competition, lowering prices and improving quality.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is leading the initiative. He has previously told reporters that he would like to pursue healthcare transparency legislation this year. He added more transparency needs to occur for all types of healthcare services, including costs for imaging services like MRIs or CT scans.
Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Tom Carper, D-Del.; Todd Young, R-Ind.; and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., are also part of the initiative.
The letter points to a recent analysis from the employer health advocacy group Catalyst for Payment Reform and the Center for Payment Innovation at the nonprofit research firm Altarum Institute. The groups reviewed the strength and quality of each state’s health transparency laws and gave 43 a failing grade, the letter said.
The group sought answers from various organizations that include the American Hospital Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield, American Medical Association and the National Governors Association.
Questions include what information should be made available to empower customers to shop better for healthcare and what regulatory barriers exist to making that information more widely known.
