TOPEKA — Most Kansas hospitals are not complying with federal law requiring a publicly accessible online list of prices, according to a new report by Patient Rights Advocate.
The July report found only six of the 23 Kansas hospitals used in the study fully comply with the Hospital Price Transparency rule that went into effect Jan. 1, 2021. The rule requires all hospitals to provide clear pricing information on their website as both a comprehensive list that can be imported and read by a computer and a user-friendly display that includes a cost estimator for at least 300 of the most common services.
These regulations were put in place to allow patients to understand and compare medical costs.
“When hospitals hide behind estimates or don’t post all real prices, they are leaving consumers in the dark,” said Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairman of PRA in a news release. “Making all actual prices available upfront will empower patients, employers and unions to choose the best care at prices they know they can afford, and protect all Americans from overcharges, errors, and fraud.”
AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, Bob Wilson Memorial Grant County Hospital, Saint Catherine Hospitals of Dodge City and Garden City, Saint John Hospital and The University of Kansas Hospital Main Campus are the only hospitals in the study to fully comply with the transparency law.
Chad Austin, president and CEO of the Kansas Hospital Association, said Kansas hospitals are “committed to providing patients with the information they need for their healthiest lives,” and KHA continues to educate hospitals and consumers on how to access that information.
“We are reviewing their methodology to better understand how they arrived at their interpretation,” Austin said. “However, we fall back on the report that’s provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the hospital pricing transparency tool, which indicates hospitals are largely in compliance with the provisions of the hospital price transparency rule.”
The report also found only 36% of United States hospitals fully complied with the law. In July 2021, 5.6% of hospitals complied.
Fisher said while she is encouraged by the growth, she encourages Congress to pass increased legislation to strengthen price transparency rules for a more affordable healthcare system.
