Florida PIRG applauds the Florida Senate’s unanimous
approval today of SB 1488 by
Senator Dean. We hope that the Florida House of Representatives will follow
their lead and support the companion bill, HB 1435 by Representative Zapata.
Health care costs are rising at twice the rate of
inflation and the number of uninsured is at an all time high. Creating more
price transparency in the health care industry is one of many ways that we can
lower the cost of health care.
SB 1488 aims to attack the skyrocketing costs of health
care by making more price information available to Floridians which will lead to
greater cost competition between providers offering similar services.
SB 1488 - The Consumer’s Right to Information Act:
- -Requires AHCA to
post on Floridahealthfinder.gov the undiscounted hospital charges for no fewer
than 150 of the most commonly performed procedures.
- -This information
will be helpful to insured persons who have high deductible policies or who go
out of network in locating more affordable hospital services. This information
will also be helpful to persons without health insurance in locating more
affordable hospital services.
- -Requires that
hospitals make available their charity care discount policy to uninsured persons
who receive estimates for planned non-emergency
services.
- -Requires hospitals
to provide automatic estimates of procedures to the uninsured or those who are
paying for their medical needs out-of-pocket.
The rising cost of health care presents a serious and
growing problem to consumers, businesses and government. In 2006, total
national health expenditures rose 6.7% -- over twice the 3.2% general rate of
inflation. Total health care spending was $2.1 trillion, or $7,026 per person,
and represented 16% of the gross domestic product.
Strategies to bring down health care costs are now more
important than at any time in the past. Requiring hospitals, physicians,
laboratories, diagnostic imaging centers and others to make their prices public
would help reduce costs to those who must pay for care with their own funds. SB
1488 moves us towards this goal by making more hospital price information
available.
