Sacramento, CA — Legislation by Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer to substantially improve a consumer´s ability to shop around for the best hospital service has passed its first legislative hurdle.
“California´s patients deserve to know whether their hospital is offering them the best quality care for the best price possible,” Frommer said.
In response to allegations of price gouging by hospitals Frommer introduced the Payers´ Bill of Rights, requiring that hospital price lists be made available to the public.
Hospitals were also required to provide their price list for the 25 most common inpatient and 25 most common outpatient procedures.
The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development will work with representatives from the hospital industry, and consumer groups to come up with the criteria for judging hospital care, according to the bill.
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 2:24 pm