A recent audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that a significant number of hospitals are not fully complying with the Hospital Price Transparency Rule, a regulation aimed at making healthcare pricing more transparent to consumers.

The audit found that out of a sample of 100 hospitals, 37 failed to meet one or more of the rule’s requirements, which include publishing comprehensive machine-readable files and displaying shoppable services in a consumer-friendly manner. This lack of compliance highlights ongoing challenges to increase transparency and reduce costs, as nearly half of the hospitals required to comply with the rule have not made their standard charges publicly available as mandated by federal law.

In response to these challenges, recommendations have been made for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to intensify their review of noncompliant hospitals and to implement changes that could facilitate compliance. Additionally, the OIG has suggested that CMS provide clearer guidance and develop targeted training programs, particularly for smaller hospitals, to ensure they can meet the transparency requirements effectively. CMS has recognized these recommendations and is taking steps to address the issues identified.

If you need help complying with these regulations, be sure to learn more about our S365 solution.