A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 15.
Introduced, nothing more yet
Formally proposed, and not yet handed to a committee.
Nearly every bill is sent to a committee within days. Introduction alone is not a sign of support, of momentum, or of any likelihood of passing — any member may introduce any bill.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
What this bill would do
The Health Care Price Certainty for All Americans Act aims to increase transparency regarding healthcare costs and the impact of vertical integration. It requires hospitals, clinical diagnostic laboratories, imaging service providers, and ambulatory surgical centers to disclose standard charges for shoppable services. Group health plans and insurance issuers must also provide detailed information regarding cost-sharing, negotiated rates, and medication price differences. The bill establishes enforcement mechanisms, including civil monetary penalties for non-compliance. Additionally, it mandates data reporting for Medicare Advantage organizations regarding ownership and financial arrangements. Finally, the legislation tasks the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission with analyzing how vertical integration affects healthcare access, price, quality, and outcomes.
Yes· 3 of 16
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill significantly increases transparency requirements for health insurance and pharmacy costs.
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill enhances consumer protection by increasing price transparency for healthcare and prescription drugs.
- Scored +4
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill improves oversight of Medicare Advantage and drug costs, which directly benefits seniors.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased price clarity for consumers: Specified hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and laboratories must make their standard charges and prices public, including "shoppable services" (Section 2, a(2)(A)(i)(II)).
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Improved access to cost estimates: The bill allows for "price estimator tool[s]" that let individuals immediately obtain price estimates for services via a hospital or surgical center's website (Section 2, a(2)(D)(ii) and d(2)(D)(ii)).
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Better understanding of insurance costs: Group health plans must provide information on cost-sharing, such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, in a timely manner upon request (Section 3, b(1)).
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Transparency in negotiated rates: Group health plans and insurance issuers are required to make available rate and payment information, including in-network rates for items and services (Section 3, c(2)(A)(i)).
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Support for those with language barriers: The Secretary is tasked with ensuring that price information is accessible to individuals with limited English proficiency through steps like interpretation or translations (Section 2, e; Section 3, e).
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Increased Price Transparency for medications: Health plans and insurance issuers are prohibited from restricting or penalizing pharmacies that inform participants of the difference between their out-of-pocket costs and the cost of a drug without insurance coverage (SEC. 727 (a); SEC. 9827 (a)).
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Enhanced Oversight of Vertical Integration: The bill requires Medicare Advantage organizations and prescription drug plans to submit detailed information regarding their ownership and financial relationships with healthcare providers and pharmacies (SEC. 5 (a)(1); SEC. 5 (a)(2)). This data is intended to help evaluate the impact of integration on healthcare access, price, quality, and outcomes (SEC. 5 (b)(1)).
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Detailed Accountability Reports: The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is tasked with submitting reports to Congress that evaluate specific metrics, such as the relationship between risk scores and incentive-based payments (SEC. 5 (b)(1); SEC. 5 (b)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Risk of reduced access to care: The Secretary has the authority to waive or reduce civil penalties if they determine that imposing them would result in an "immediate threat to access to care" for individuals in a specific service area (Section 2, a(2)(B)(iv) and b(6)(E); Section 2, c(5)).
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Financial penalties for non-compliant facilities: Hospitals, laboratories, and imaging providers may face significant civil monetary penalties for failing to comply with transparency and attestation requirements (Section 2, a(2)(B)(i); Section 2, b(6)(B); Section 2, c(5)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — Improved transparency and oversight in Medicare programs benefit retirees. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill improves oversight of Medicare Advantage and drug costs, which directly benefits seniors. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Increased price transparency can help low-income individuals manage their healthcare costs more effectively. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Transparency helps middle-class families make better-informed purchasing decisions for healthcare. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Requires accessibility measures for healthcare price information. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill includes requirements to analyze and report on healthcare access and pricing in rural areas.
- Healthcare
- Does this lower what a hospital stay costs? — Increases transparency for standard charges and shoppable services at hospitals. Does this lower the price of prescription medicines? — The bill empowers consumers to see the difference between their costs and market prices, potentially driving down costs. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Improved price transparency and provider tools can help patients make more informed access decisions. Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — Increased transparency and competition through price access may lead to reduced premiums over time. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill enhances oversight of Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans via new reporting requirements.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill significantly increases transparency requirements for health insurance and pharmacy costs. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the regulatory and reporting authority of Federal agencies over healthcare data.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill enhances consumer protection by increasing price transparency for healthcare and prescription drugs.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — Ensures accessibility of information for individuals with disabilities through required reasonable steps.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill addresses privacy considerations related to the use of APIs for medical information.
- 7/15/2026
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 15.
- 7/13/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House