Article originally published at The MacIver Institute.
Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol are pitching a price transparency plan that they say will bring more competition, and better care to the state.
Sen. Julian Bradley, R–New Berlin, Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R–Tomahawk, and state Rep. Bob Wittke, R–Caledonia, on Thursday introduced what they are calling Price Transparency for Patients.
“Our bill aims to end [price] uncertainty. Patients deserve to see upfront prices clearly, enabling them to make informed choices about their healthcare,” Bradley said in a statement.
“According to the nonpartisan PatientRightsAdvocate.org, only 30% of hospitals in Wisconsin are fully in compliance with the federal [price transparency] rule. This is unacceptable – we owe it to our constituents to act,” Felzkowski added.
“Healthcare is one of the main costs that businesses face, and high costs impact their ability to hire and grow,” Wittke said. “Transparency drives competition, which will reduce costs for patients and businesses.”
That’s one reason why the state’s largest business group, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, supports the idea.
“Currently, Wisconsin employers and consumers are at a disadvantage, lacking the tools to effectively compare medical costs and quality. This lack of transparency has contributed to Wisconsin having the fourth-highest hospital prices in the country,” WMC’s Rachel Ver Velde said in a statement.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, which has long pushed for reform, is also on-board.
“In no other part of the economy are consumers expected to purchase a product or service without knowing the price. Yet that’s exactly how our healthcare system works. Hospital price transparency brings basic accountability to healthcare—empowering patients and restoring market principles to a system that desperately needs them,” WILL Policy Director Kyle Koenen said in a statement of his own.
There’s no word when the plan will get a hearing at the Capitol, or when the lawmakers expect to see a vote on the idea.
