Oklahoma Senate Education Committee Chairman Adam Pugh (R-Edmond)

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate unanimously approved legislation Tuesday to better inform patients of health care costs upfront to help them in choosing their provider and services. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is the Senate principal author of House Bill 1006, which would require health care providers and facilities to publicize, and update annually, the costs of the most common health care services electronically or online.

“For most families, health care is the most expensive consumer purchase they will make, yet most have no idea what the services they receive cost until after the fact,” Pugh said. “With every other service from oil changes to house cleaning, consumers are provided prices before they purchase, and it should be the same with health care. House Bill 1006 will add transparency to the costs of medical services and allow cash-paying patients to decide what the best option is for them based on their budget.”

HB 1006 also requires that facilities publish their most common diagnosis and outpatient CPT codes.

“We have a long way to go to get to a point in the marketplace where consumers have all the data, including pricing to make smart, informed decisions on where to seek medical treatments,” Pugh said. “This transparency bill is a good step in the right direction, and I appreciate my colleagues’ support of this measure.”

Rep. Carol Bush, R-Tulsa, is the principal House author of the bill that now moves to the governor’s office.