Encourage Congress to create a law requiring hospitals to provide easy, open access to prices they charge for services

In a recent Time magazine article the cost of medical care in hospitals was investigated. It highlighted several examples of hospitals charging outrageous prices for everyday objects such as niacin tablets and alcohol swabs. The article also revealed how different hospitals will very greatly in the prices the charge for the sames tests and procedures. The fact that the prices that a hospital charges are very rarely, if ever,given upfront limits consumer's choices and power. In an attempt to provide more power to the consumers of health services we would have Congress draft and pass a law requiting hospitals provide easy access to their chargemasters to all people. It is our hope that this will provide more choice for consumers and begin to control health costs.