# Plain Language Summary: Transparency of Hospital Billing Act

This bill requires hospitals to be much more open and honest about their prices. Right now, hospitals often keep their pricing information hidden or make it extremely difficult for patients to find out what they'll actually pay for procedures, tests, or treatments. This bill would force hospitals to publicly display their prices in a clear, easy-to-understand format so that anyone—whether they have insurance or not—can look up what a specific service will cost before they receive it.

The main goal is to give patients real power as consumers. If you're scheduled for surgery or need an MRI scan, you'd be able to compare prices between different hospitals in your area, just like you'd compare prices for other services. This could help people make smarter choices about where to get care and might encourage hospitals to keep their prices competitive. It also means patients won't be blindsided by massive bills after treatment—they'll know what to expect upfront.

The bill applies to all hospitals and requires them to share pricing information for common procedures and services. Hospitals would need to make this information available online and in other formats so it's genuinely accessible to everyone, not just tech-savvy patients. The idea is that when patients can see and compare prices, it creates natural pressure on hospitals to be more reasonable with their charges, which could help bring down overall healthcare costs. For patients, this means more control over their healthcare decisions and fewer financial surprises down the road.

Transparency of Hospital Billing Act

Spartz, Victoria

Transparency of Hospital Billing Act This bill repeals certain exceptions to site-neutral payments with respect to Medicare payments to an off-campus outpatient department of a health care provider. It also requires providers to use separate, unique health identifiers when submitting a claim to a health insurance issuer for services provided at an off-campus outpatient department.