Each of the bills under consideration involves strong transparency provisions. H.R. 4700 would require health care professionals and entities offering products, services or procedures to publicly disclose all prices for them. The Department of Health and Human Services would be allowed to impose penalties for failure to disclose.

H.R. 2249, introduced by Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Gene Green (D-TX), would require state Medicaid plans to disclose information on hospital charges and have public information on estimated out-of-pocket costs for health care services. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality would be required to research information on health care costs and out-of-pocket charges; how this information varies; and how the information can be made available to individuals.


H.R. 4803, introduced by Committee Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX), would require entities offering a health benefits plan to make information about the plan available to enrollees and potential enrollees, such as covered items and services, limitations and restrictions, and out-of-pocket cost sharing. The bill would also require state Medicaid plans to disclose information on the prices of some services in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers.

The hearing testimony can be accessed at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1992:hearing-on-hr-4700-hr-2249-and-hr-4803&catid=132:subcommittee-on-health&Itemid=72

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