PatientRightsAdvocate.org filed an amicus brief in the case of Secretary Julie A. Su, Acting Secretary of Labor v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Minnesota, arguing that their motion to dismiss the case should be denied on the basis that BCBS was an ERISA fiduciary and that ERISA’s fiduciary protections are needed to police third-party administrator contracts that hide healthcare prices from beneficiaries and obstruct beneficiaries from finding high-quality, cost-efficient care.

PRA's sixth Semi-Annual Hospital Price Transparency Compliance Report revealed that only 34.5% of the 2,000 hospitals reviewed were in full compliance with the federal rule, virtually unchanged from the 36% compliance found in PRA’s last report released in July 2023. Despite stagnant compliance, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued penalty notices to only 14 hospitals.

Cynthia Fisher, founder and Chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, joined Meghna Chakrabarti, host of NPR’s On Point, to discuss the growing momentum of healthcare price transparency in Congress and why employers and unions have joined the fight in this critical moment.

Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org Founder and Chairman Cynthia Fisher released the following statement in support of S.3548, a bill to codify hospital and insurer price transparency, led by Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and HELP Committee member Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.)

New Polling Reveals 94% of Americans Support Healthcare Price Transparency. Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) released new polling conducted by Marist revealing that healthcare price transparency remains one of the most popular and unifying issues being considered by Congress.

PatientRightsAdvocate.org’s Price Variation Report found patients are being charged drastically different prices for the same care within the same hospitals and across hospitals in the same states.

Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org Founder and Chairman Cynthia Fisher released the following statement on the overwhelming bipartisan House passage of HR 5378, also known as the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act.

Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) announced the launch of the brand new Hospital Price File Finder, a first-of-its-kind search tool of the available price transparency files for 6,000 hospitals nationwide.

Today, Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, sent a letter to Congress expressing support for the passage of the Lower Costs More Transparency Act.

Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, joined Washington Post's Frances Stead Sellers to discuss transparent pricing in healthcare, the status of push for legislation in Congress, and how transparency leads to better quality care at much lower costs.

Cynthia Fisher, Founder and Chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, participated in the summit hosted by STAT News to discuss the fight for systemwide healthcare price transparency.

Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) published a report co-authored by Founder and Chairman Cynthia Fisher and economist Dr. Arthur Laffer that concludes healthcare price transparency can reduce national healthcare spending by more than $1 trillion annually and extend American life expectancy.

Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org Founder and Chairman Cynthia Fisher released the following statement on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing enforcement of the transparency in coverage (TiC) rule covering the disclosure of the cost of prescription drugs.

PatientRightsAdvocate.org submitted comments on the proposed rule for the Medicare Program Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System for 2024. We recommend additional, important changes to ensure that patients, employers, unions, and all consumers have the information they need to make critical decisions about health care services and coverage.

Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) announced the creation of The Price Transparency Champion Award and unveiled its first-ever recipients. The new award recognizes U.S. hospitals and hospital systems for their commitment to fully complying with federal price transparency requirements. By publishing their actual, upfront prices in an exemplary manner, these award-winning hospitals protect patients from overcharges and empower them to choose the best care at the best prices. The award also recognizes elected leaders for their efforts to support systemwide healthcare price transparency to lower costs and protect their constituents.

PRA’s fifth Semi-Annual Hospital Price Transparency Compliance Report found that only 36% of the 2,000 hospitals reviewed were fully complying with the Hospital Price Transparency Rule.

Here is what needs to change and what regulators need to address to level the playing field to restore negotiating leverage for plan sponsors.

PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) celebrated today’s signing of Senate Bill 252 by Colorado Governor Jared Polis at a public ceremony in Denver. The bipartisan legislation requires Colorado hospitals to comply with federal price transparency rules by posting all of their prices upfront and in full for the public to see. According to PRA’s most recent Hospital Price Transparency Compliance Report, 100 percent of hospitals reviewed in Colorado are failing to fully comply with the rules and denying patients their right to know the complete and accurate price of their services.

On May 24, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance the PATIENT Act (HR 3561), which promotes greater price transparency in healthcare by requiring hospitals to publicly post their prices in a consumer-friendly format. The legislation increases competition by enabling consumers to compare prices and shop for affordable healthcare and increases penalties for hospitals who are not in compliance with the Hospital Price Transparency Rule.

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.