JANUARY 1

What happened?
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a price transparency rule requiring hospitals to post standard prices online.

What did it do?
CMS intended the rule to make it easier for patients to know their costs upfront, but some groups in the industry argued that standard charges are used for negotiation and most patients never see those rates, so it could confuse and scare patients away from getting needed care.

JUNE 24

What happened?
The Trump Administration issued the Executive Order on Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Healthcare to Put Patients First.

What did it do?
The Order tasked the CMS, Department of Health and Human Services, and other relevant federal agencies with making price transparency in healthcare a priority and drafting regulations to enforce it.

NOVEMBER 15

What happened?
CMS issued a new Final Rule on price transparency expected to go into effect on January 1, 2021.

What would it do?
This rule builds on the posting of standard charges and will require hospitals to post consumer-friendly prices online for 300 shoppable services.

DECEMBER 8

What happened?
Republicans and Democrats from the House and Senate announced an agreement on anti-surprise bill legislation. 

What’s next?
This surprise bills legislation didn’t make it into the year-end congressional funding agreement. But it’s clear that this issue is important to both Republicans and Democrats, and we expect to see more in the New Year.

  2020 is already shaping up to be another big year in patient empowerment!

We couldn’t have done it without you.