AHA comments on transparency in coverage proposed rule

The AHA today urged the administration to abandon a proposal that would require health plans to publicly release all of their negotiated rates, saying the policy would “lead to widespread confusion among patients, even greater consolidation in the commercial health insurance industry and other negative consequences for providers and consumers.” 

Commenting on a transparency in coverage proposed rule issued by departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services, AHA said it appreciated the departments’ effort to increase the availability of useful information for patients, specifically, the proposal to improve patient access to estimates of their individual cost-sharing liability prior to care.  

However, AHA said, “disclosing negotiated rates would not help patients or consumers make prudent decisions. That is because the information that is most meaningful to patients is their specific out-of-pocket costs for specific procedures. To that end, we again urge the departments to work cooperatively with providers, health plans, patients and other stakeholders to identify approaches that can better meet patients’ needs.”