STATEMENT: PRA Founder & Chairman Cynthia Fisher Applauds Colorado Legislature Passing Hospital Price Transparency Bill

On May 7, 2023, the Colorado General Assembly passed SB252, which requires Colorado hospitals to comply with federal price transparency rules and post all of their prices upfront and in full for the public to see. The legislation would make publicly visible each hospital's Medicare reimbursement rates, as well as require the State’s Department of Health Care and Policy and Financing to conduct a performance assessment for each hospital to determine the hospital's adherence to federal transparency rules and publish the results on its website.

Cynthia Fisher, Founder & Chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, issued the following statement regarding the passage of Colorado’s Hospital Price Transparency bill:

“The Colorado General Assembly’s passage of SB 252 will enforce and strengthen hospital price transparency in the state, protecting patients from hospital overcharging and exploitation. The legislation will significantly boost Colorado hospital compliance with a federal hospital price transparency rule, empowering healthcare consumers to reduce their costs through choice and competition. Gov. Polis can reverse runaway healthcare costs burdening so many Coloradans by swiftly signing this legislation into law.”

The bill was passed in the Colorado Senate and House by large bipartisan majorities: 31-0 and 61-3, respectively. It is now headed to Governor Polis, who is expected to sign it into law.