Health care remains a hot topic on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers introducing a trio of bills aimed at providing consumers with cost and quality of care information about services provided at hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.

The ASC Advocacy Committee testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today on behalf of the so-called Patients' Right to Know Act (HR 4803), which would require states to create laws requiring hospitals and ASCs to publicly disclose what they charge for services, as well as quality data on those services.

ASC industry leaders are touting the potential money-saving benefits of the bipartisan proposal, arguing that it would allow patients to choose the most economical setting for procedures without compromising quality of care.

"We believe this bill will empower patients with critical information in order to make more informed decisions on where to receive their care," said Chris Holden, president and CEO of Amsurg and a member of the ASC Advocacy Committee, during the hearings today. "Because many outpatient surgeries can be performed in hospitals and ASCs, it is important to provide patients with meaningful price comparisons across settings."

Two other similar bills being discussed — the Transparency in All Health Care Pricing Act (HR 4700) and the Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2009 (HR 2249) — also seek to arm patients with better information about the cost and quality of healthcare services at a time when a growing number of patients are having to pay out-of-pocket expenses for their health care.

Irene Tsikitas

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