USofCare Applauds Senate HELP Committee Passage of the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act

This bipartisan bill advances critical health care transparency reforms – including more information for people on prices, facility fees, and ownership, and important new protections against aggressive medical debt collection actions

Washington, DC — Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to report out the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, a bipartisan bill that would establish federal health care price transparency requirements on hospital prices and facility fees, health insurance plans, and health care company ownership. Importantly, this legislation also includes a provision based on a Colorado state law – and supported by United States of Care and 61% of people – that would prohibit hospitals not in compliance with price transparency rules from pursuing aggressive medical debt collection actions against patients. In response, United States of Care (USofCare) released the following statement:

“Today’s vote is a win for people – and a clear signal that Congress is taking steps towards delivering on the transparency and accountability people have been demanding,” said Lisa Hunter, Senior Director of Federal Policy & Advocacy at United States of Care. “Prohibiting hospitals from sending patients to debt collectors when they’ve failed to post their own prices, requiring disclosure of facility fees, and bringing greater transparency to health care ownership – these are exactly the kinds of targeted, people-centered solutions that United States of Care has advocated for in states like Colorado and Nevada, and that Congress should enact into federal law.”

“We know that people want a health care system they can trust and depend on. They want to know what they’re paying for, and they’re tired of feeling like health care is a scam out for their money,” said Hunter. “We applaud Chairman Bill Cassidy, Ranking Member Bernie Sanders, and bill sponsors Senators Roger Marshall and John Hickenlooper for their strong bipartisan leadership in advancing this legislation. We urge the full Senate to move quickly in bringing this bill to the floor and passing it.”

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