CMS: 70% of hospitals in compliance with price transparency rules

In a blog published in Health Affairs, leaders from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released updated findings on hospital compliance with the Hospital Price Transparency Rule. Since Jan. 1, 2021, hospitals have been required to publicly post a machine-readable file that contains a wide range of rate information, as well as a consumer-friendly display of at least 300 shoppable services. Through reviews of 600 hospital websites in 2022, CMS has found that 70% of hospitals are in compliance with both parts of the rule, up from 27% in 2021. However, 82% of hospitals are in compliance with at least one component of the rule. They note their findings are in line with some third-party and state reports but “divergent from others.” CMS indicates that the agency will be increasing oversight and enforcement, as well as considering further changes in policy to increase hospital compliance and ease of use of this information.