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Congress·In Committee·8 months ago

Senate Bill Would Require Hospitals to Post Prices Online, Honor Cash Rates

Also known as: Patients Deserve Price Tags Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impacts

Positive Impacts(2)
Chronic Illness
Helps
Union Member
Helps

Key Points

  • Hospitals would have to post their prices free online every month, using a standard format, and include at least 300 common “shoppable” services through 2026 (then all shoppable services).
  • Posted hospital prices would have to include the list price, the cash price, and the negotiated prices for each insurer and plan—so people can compare options and see what their insurer likely pays.
  • Hospitals would have to honor their posted cash price as “payment in full” for any patient who chooses to pay cash, even if the patient has insurance.
  • Starting in 2027, many labs, imaging centers, and certain surgery centers would also have to post similar price information online, with penalties of up to $300 per day for noncompliance.
  • Health plans would have to improve cost tools and provide clearer explanations of benefits and itemized bills; providers couldn’t send bills to collections without first giving an itemized bill, and violations could trigger penalties.
HealthcareConsumer ProtectionData Privacy

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Jul 17, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Jul 17, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

2026-01-01

Hospitals start following the new, stronger price posting rules

You should be able to find a hospital’s cash price and insurer-negotiated prices online for many services, without creating an account or paying a fee

2026-01-01

Federal health agency publishes the standard format hospitals must use for price files

Hospital price lists should become easier to compare across facilities because they must use the same structure and machine-readable spreadsheet format

For plan years that begin on or after Jan 1, 2026

Health plan real-time cost tool and free paper/phone option become required for plan years starting in 2026

Before care, you can request a cost estimate online and also ask for the same info by phone or on paper at no cost

For plan years that begin on or after Jan 1, 2026

New Explanation of Benefits timing rule starts (45 days after a payment request)

After your provider bills the plan, you should receive a clearer breakdown sooner showing what the plan paid and what you owe

2026-12-31

Hospital “300 shoppable services” phase ends and expands toward all shoppable services

Price browsing should cover more services, not just a limited list, making it easier to compare for less common scheduled care

2027-01-01

Federal health agency sets the standard formats for labs, imaging providers, and covered ambulatory surgery centers

Lab test and imaging price lists should become easier to download and compare once a uniform spreadsheet format is required

2027-07-01

Labs begin posting test prices and accepting the posted cash price as payment in full

You can compare prices for common tests and, if you choose to pay cash, the lab must take the posted cash price

2027-07-01

Imaging providers begin posting prices and accepting the posted cash price as payment in full

You can compare prices for MRIs/CTs/other imaging and use the listed cash price if paying cash

2027-07-01

Certain ambulatory surgery centers begin posting prices and accepting the posted cash price as payment in full

For some outpatient surgeries, you can compare facility prices more easily and use the posted cash price if you pay cash

Related News

4 articles
The National Desk·about 1 month ago

Healthcare debate rages as transparency bill gets rare bipartisan support

Spotlight on America investigates the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, a bipartisan effort led by Senators Hickenlooper and Marshall. The bill aims to force hospitals and insurers to disclose actual prices upfront, moving beyond the 'good faith estimates' that have left patients with surprise bills.

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Health Affairs Forefront·3 months ago

Unpacking The Price Transparency Provisions Of The Patients Deserve Price Tags Act

This analysis explores how the bill codifies federal price transparency rules into law, making them more durable. It requires hospitals to post actual dollar amounts for 300 shoppable services through 2026 and all services thereafter, while mandating that hospitals honor posted cash prices.

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Chief Healthcare Executive·6 months ago

Lawmakers seek more price transparency from hospitals

Bipartisan legislation introduced by Sens. Roger Marshall and John Hickenlooper would require hospitals, imaging centers, and labs to provide actual prices for services. The measure would mandate machine-readable files of negotiated rates and cash prices, with penalties for non-compliance.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Patients Deserve Price Tags Act

Bill NumberS 2355
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(17)
D: 8R: 9

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.