(The Center Square) – A bill requiring full price transparency for clinical diagnostic lab tests passed the U.S. House as part of a larger legislative package requiring more transparency for medical services.
The “Diagnostic Lab Testing Transparency Act” was introduced by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and is co-sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo.
The bill requires labs to publish the cash price for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests online. It also involves publishing minimum and maximum insurer-negotiated rates for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests offered by the lab that are included on the list of shoppable services specified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Labs must update the information on their website at least once a year, according to the bill.
“Currently, patients can only see the prices for labs conducted at hospitals and not the prices for diagnostic services offered by competing independent labs. The ‘Diagnostic Lab Testing Transparency Act,’ supports consumer choice by expanding a patients’ ability to shop for diagnostic tests and therefore compare prices,” Miller-Meeks said.
The Energy and Commerce and the Ways and Means Committees heard the bill in May.
The bill is part of “The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act” for Improving Health Care Transparency, which promises to disclose prices to consumers and lower health care costs for patients.
“This bill brings together Republicans and Democrats to lower costs and increase transparency for patients across the nation,” DeGette said.
If it passes the Senate as part of the package for more transparency in medical pricing, it goes into effect on January 1, 2025.
