Big Win for All Americans: Federal Judge Upholds Trump’s Hospital Price Transparency Rule

Jun 24, 2020

“BIG VICTORY for patients – Federal court UPHOLDS hospital price transparency,” President Trump wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “Patients deserve to know the price of care BEFORE they enter the hospital. Because of my action, they will. This may very well be bigger than healthcare itself. Congratulations America!”

Judge Carl Nichols granted the administration’s motion for summary judgment on Tuesday, meaning it did not go to trial.

In November 2019, the Trump administration announced historic price transparency requirements aiming to increase competition and lower healthcare costs for all Americans.

The hospital industry argued that the rule wouldn’t help patients understand their out-of-pocket costs after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed the rule in 2019.

“We are disappointed in today’s decision in favor of the administration’s flawed proposal to mandate disclosure of privately negotiated rates,” the AHA said in a statement. “It also imposes significant burdens on hospitals at a time when resources are stretched thin and need to be devoted to patient care. Hospitals and health systems have consistently supported efforts to provide patients with information about the costs of their medical care. This is not the right way to achieve this important goal.”