Forbes features op-ed co-written by PRA about North Carolina’s healthcare gag clause.

Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocates.org, joined Josh Archambault, founder of Presidents Lane Consulting, on an op-ed calling for North Carolina to end their gag clause for public employee healthcare plans that keeps negotiated rates and historical claims data confidential.

Together, Fisher and Archambault wrote:

“Unfortunately, North Carolina law has a gag clause for public employee healthcare plans that keeps negotiated rates and historical claims data confidential. To align with federal law and empower state employees and unleash price transparency for all North Carolina consumers, this law should be immediately repealed or revised.

On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, North Carolina legislators will be voting on a bill to bring its state law into line with federal law. However, large hospital systems are secretly trying to kill this pro-consumer bill.

Legislators can ensure North Carolina consumers enjoy all the transparency benefits of federal price transparency rules by simply repealing the state law that mandates secret prices. A recent study by PatientRightsAdvocate.org finds that only 14.3% of hospitals nationwide – and only 19% in North Carolina – are complying with the hospital price transparency rule.

When all actual prices for care and coverage are known upfront, a functional, pro-consumer healthcare marketplace will emerge. Patients and employers will be able to shop for the best care and coverage at the best prices, unleashing competition that reverses runaway costs and fights inflation in health care.”

To read the full version of the Op-Ed in Forbes, click here.