Transparent Health Care Pricing Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-4808
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7]
Introduced: 2018-01-16
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Business records

Civil actions and liability

Consumer affairs

Government studies and investigations

Health care costs and insurance

Health personnel

Health technology, devices, supplies

Inflation and prices

Retail and wholesale trades
Latest action: action_date: 2018-01-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-01-16
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Transparent Health Care Pricing Act of 2018</b></p> <p>This bill requires entities that offer or furnish health care related products or services to the public to disclose the price for those products and services at the point of purchase and on the Internet. The entities must disclose all prices, including wholesale, retail, and discounted prices, that are accepted as payment in full for products and services furnished to individual consumers.</p>The Department of Health and Human Services may investigate and impose civil penalties on entities that fail to comply with this requirement.

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4808 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 16, 2018 Mr. Perlmutter (for himself and Mr. Gallagher ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To promote transparency in health care pricing.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Transparent Health Care Pricing Act of 2018 . 2. Transparency in All Health Care Pricing (a) In general Any and all individuals or business entities, including hospitals, physicians, nurses, pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, dentists, and any other health care related providers or suppliers that offer or furnish health care related items, products, services, or procedures (as defined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services) for sale to the public shall publicly disclose, on a continuous basis, all prices for such items, products, services, or procedures in accordance with this section. (b) Manner of disclosure The disclosure required under subsection (a) shall— (1) be made in an open and conspicuous manner; (2) be made available at the point of purchase, in print, and on the Internet; and (3) include all wholesale, retail, subsidized, discounted, or other such prices the individuals or business entities described in such subsection accept as payment in full for items, products, services, or procedures such individuals or business entities furnish to individual consumers. (c) Penalties The Secretary of Health and Human Services may investigate any and all individuals or business entities that fail to comply with the requirements of this section and may impose on such individuals or business entities civil fines, or other civil penalties, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.