Price transparency in healthcare is seen as a vital step toward empowering patients and reducing costs. Former President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order builds on a 2019 directive, aiming to force hospitals and insurers to disclose negotiated prices for medical procedures and drugs. However, progress has been slow, with consumers finding the data confusing and enforcement inconsistent.

The 2019 order was groundbreaking, requiring hospitals and insurers to reveal previously confidential pricing data. Yet, the disclosures were often overwhelming and riddled with issues like “zombie” rates—prices for services hospitals don’t provide—and discrepancies in reported costs. For example, insurers reported vastly different prices for the same procedure at the same hospital, undermining the data’s reliability.

While some patients, like Theresa Schmotzer, have successfully used price transparency tools to save money—Schmotzer saved nearly $3,000 on surgery by leveraging publicly available data—most consumers struggle to find clear, actionable information about out-of-pocket costs, which vary by health plan.

Experts argue that price transparency alone won’t lower healthcare costs. While it may foster competition and provide insights into pricing disparities, it’s not a comprehensive solution. Federal regulators, hospitals, and insurers must improve the quality and usability of pricing data. Efforts like fining non-compliant hospitals and simplifying reporting rules are steps forward, but much work remains.

Ultimately, price transparency is a critical first step toward understanding and reforming the complex U.S. healthcare system. However, it must be paired with broader reforms to achieve its potential of increasing competition, improving care quality, and reducing costs for patients.

To read the full article by KFF Health News, click here.