Disclosure of Medical Prices to Patients/Consumers by Healthcare Facilities

This is a petition to request that a mandate be given to require healthcare facilities to provide their patients with a disclosure of standard fees and costs upfront for all non-emergency procedures. (These costs would not be insurance-negotiated fees; they would be standard per facility.) In this way, the patient or consumer will not have to purchase the service or procedure without the knowledge of the expense he/she will be incurring. Also, with this knowledge, the consumer will be able to research the most cost-effective facilities within his/her budget. Furthermore, medical facilities should be required to produce an estimate of insurance benefits for their patients for all future services needed. Please allow us to be educated consumers, even with medical expenses.