PRA Statement on Ohio Senate Passing H.B. 49
Today, PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) applauded the bipartisan passage of House Bill 49 by the Ohio Senate (27-6) nearly one year after a similar version of the legislation was passed by the Ohio House by a bipartisan 90-5 vote last June. Prior to the full Senate vote, H.B. 49 was unanimously approved this morning by the Senate Small Business & Economic Opportunity Committee. The bill requires Ohio hospitals to post the prices of available services online for upfront public viewing. It also includes provisions to financially protect patients impacted by non-compliant hospitals.
“Both chambers of the General Assembly have now taken action to protect Ohioans from hospital overcharges and make healthcare more affordable for everyone," said PRA Founder and Chairman Cynthia Fisher. "It’s been a long journey to get here, and we have some more work ahead of us. With more than 90 percent of Ohio hospitals reviewed still ignoring the federal price transparency rule, Ohio needs strong accountability and real enforcement more urgently than almost any other state. Only actual prices – not estimates – provide the protection that patients, workers, and small businesses need, and we applaud the sponsors of H.B. 49 who are fighting to ensure that fact is reflected in the bill ultimately sent to the governor."
Following today’s passage, H.B. 49 is expected to be received by a bicameral conference committee to resolve the points of difference between each version of the bill passed by the House and Senate respectively.
In anticipation of today’s legislative activity, PRA commissioned a new mobile billboard campaign featuring six trucks which circled the Ohio Statehouse daily with graphics encouraging lawmakers to pass the strongest possible version of H.B. 49. The campaign began on Monday and concluded today.
According to PRA's most recent report, just 9% of Ohio hospitals reviewed are complying with the 2021 federal Hospital Price Transparency rule and showing full upfront prices. This is down from a 22% compliance rate last year. Read the full report.
Related reading:
Hospital price transparency legislation would protect patients from overcharging
Proposal for transparency in medical costs one step closer after passing Ohio House
Meaningful health care price transparency requires actual prices - not estimates: Bryce Heinbaugh
The fight for hospital pricing transparency in Ohio
About PRA
PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA) is a leading national healthcare price transparency organization dedicated to ushering in systemwide transparency through advocacy, testimony, media, legal research, and grassroots campaigns. PRA believes that the availability and visibility of actual, upfront healthcare prices will greatly lower costs for patients and employers through a functional, competitive healthcare marketplace.