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CHA has issued its draft comments on the proposed rule that would establish a number of new price transparency requirements for health plans. The regulation, proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) along with the departments of Labor and Treasury, is intended to build on finalized price transparency requirements for hospitals and reflect President Trump’s June 24 executive order.
In the letter, CHA raises legal concerns about the proposal to require the disclosure of negotiated rates. CHA does not believe the proposal will promote health care competition or lower health care costs for consumers, and may instead result in less competition and potentially increase health care costs.
CHA encourages CMS to withdraw the proposal to require health insurers and group health plans to make publicly available data files with negotiated rates for all covered services. However, CHA strongly supports the proposal to require health insurers and health plans to make the information required in the internet-based consumer support tools available to providers. CHA also offers recommendations to improve the usability of the information presented in the tools and reduce confusion for both plan participants and providers.
Members are encouraged to use CHA’s letter to draft their own comments, which are due to CMS by 2 p.m. (PT) on Jan. 29. To submit comments, go to www.regulations.gov and search “CMS-9915-P.”
