STATEMENT: PRA Founder & Chairmen Cynthia Fisher Applauds House Energy & Commerce Committee Unanimous Vote to Advance the PATIENT Act

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. 

Cynthia Fisher, Founder and Chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, issued the following statement regarding the passage of the PATIENT Act:

“The unanimous committee vote to advance the bipartisan PATIENT Act is a major win for all Americans who want quality and affordable care and coverage. Since the Hospital Price Transparency Rule was implemented more than two years ago, hospitals have been required to disclose actual, upfront prices, yet the majority continue to hide prices and keep patients in the dark. Congress is taking an important step to lower costs and protect patients by holding hospitals and health insurers accountable.

“We applaud Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Health Subcommittee Chairman Bret Guthrie, and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo for their strong, bipartisan leadership and commitment to ensuring Americans are protected through all actual prices posted upfront in a standard format with strong enforcement provisions and higher fines for noncompliant hospitals. We're one step closer to systemwide health care price transparency. I encourage the full House to act quickly and pass this bill, which will lower costs and improve quality of healthcare for people across the country.”

The bill was passed by the House Energy & Commerce committee with unanimous, bipartisan support: 49-0.