A new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) webpage offers tools and resources to help hospital staff comply with Hospital Price Transparency Rule requirements.
The rule, effective Jan. 1, 2021, requires hospitals to publish their negotiated rates for all services in a machine-readable format and display prices of shoppable services in a consumer-friendly format.
The new webpage includes four checklists to help:
- determine whether the hospital is required to comply with the rule;
- ensure the rates file is machine readable;
- define and identify shoppable services; and
- meet requirements for making public standard charges for shoppable services through a price estimator tool.
The webpage also includes steps for creating a machine-readable file, steps for posting shoppable services, and FAQs. Additionally, the page includes information for consumers on how to use the data to shop for health care services.
America’s Essential Hospitals highlighted how members are leading the way in price transparency efforts in a January policy brief.
Contact Senior Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
