Peterson-KFF Finds Hospital Price Transparency Data Still Hard to Compare
An Oct. 7 Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker analysis finds that revised federal hospital price transparency rules, effective since January and enforced by CMS since April, have improved data clarity but left significant gaps for price comparisons. Reviewing machine-readable files for over 6,445 hospitals, researchers found most percentage- and algorithm-based commercial rates report zero actual payments, dollar amounts can represent either base or final rates, and hospitals inconsistently record adjustment logic, outlier terms, and shared rates across locations. These inconsistencies mean analysts comparing dollar amounts alone risk biased conclusions, though the report notes some issues could be addressed through additional CMS guidance or enforcement while others, like unpaid "ghost rates," are harder to resolve.