Employers are using transparency data to try to slow growth of their healthcare costs, and "the last thing you want to do is start over," said James Gelfand, president and CEO of the ERISA Industry Committee, which represents large employers who finance their own health plans. His group is among the organizations still pressing Congress to act next year. "Congress' failure to act is deeply disappointing, but employers and other advocates will redouble our efforts," Gelfand said. "This will get done." While there are reports that many hospitals are not fully complying with transparency rules, federal regulators have sent thousands of warning letters to hospitals and fined just over a dozen. The rules require hospitals to list the prices they accept from all insurers for thousands of items and services, from stitches to delivery room costs to X-rays. For consumers, hospitals must also provide a list of 300 "shoppable" services, including bundled prices accepted for common services such as having a baby or getting a hip replacement. Insurers in July 2022 were similarly required to list their negotiated prices, not only for care at hospitals, but also surgery centers, imaging facilities, laboratories, and doctors' offices.
