OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill seeking to create greater transparency in health care prices passed the House Public Health Committee today with a vote of 8-0.

House Bill 1006, by Carol Bush, R-Tulsa, would create the Transparency in Health Care Prices Act, requiring health care providers and facilities to make the cash prices for their most common health care services available to the public.

“People deserve to know up front what they are going to be charged for routine health care services,” Bush said. “They have that option with almost every other consumer product they purchase. This measure will provide better openness and transparency and won’t leave people surprised with thousands of dollars in costs for which they were not prepared.”

Under the measure, health care prices means the cash price a provider, group or facility will charge a patient for a standard service. This pricing list shall be made available either on the provider’s website or other conspicuous posting. Health care facilities also would be required to make common diagnosis and outpatient CPT codes public. The price would, of course, not include any amount in the case of complications or exceptional treatment. The document must be updated at least annually. The bill would prohibit the review of healthcare prices by any agency and interference in contracts between private parties.

Bush said the measure compliments new federal regulations. The measure is supported by the Oklahoma State Medical Association.

HB 1006 is now eligible to be considered by the full House.