Oklahoma hospitals will be required to publish a list of prices for hospital items and services because of a new law going into effect Saturday.
Gov. Kevin Stitt celebrated Senate Bill 889 at a press conference Tuesday, calling it "common sense for consumers."
"So now, as a patient, you can see the cost of services upfront before you actually go into the hospital," Stitt said. "You have the opportunity to shop around to find the best service, the best price possible."
The law, by Sen. Casey Murdock (R-Felt) and Rep. Mark Lepak (R-Claremore), asks facilities to include a simple description of the service, its billing code, discounted cash price, and the maximum and minimum negotiated rates and prices reflecting health insurance coverage. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) is authorized to monitor hospital compliance.
If OSDH determines a hospital is not in compliance, they may provide a written notice, request a corrective action plan and impose an administrative penalty if the facility fails to respond to the request or comply.
Murdock said in May the change will codify health care price transparency regulations put in place during President Donald Trump's first term and extended with a February executive order.
According to a 2024 hospital price transparency report from the nonprofit PatientRightsAdvocate.org, only 12% of hospitals reviewed in Oklahoma were fully complying with the federal rule.
"Requiring providers to publish clear and accurate pricing for common procedures gives patients the power to shop around for the best care at the best price," Murdock said. "By putting this federal policy into state law, we're ensuring that hospital price transparency is here to stay, no matter what happens in Washington."
Cynthia Fisher, PatientRightsAdvocate.org founder and chairman, attended the press conference. She said through SB 889, Oklahoma is set to be a leader in protecting patients, citing a section that prevents hospitals from pursuing collection action against a patient or their guarantor for debt owed for items or services if the facility is not in compliance with the law on the day they are purchased from or provided to them.
And if a patient believes the hospital is noncompliant and it takes a collection action against a patient or their guarantor, they can sue.
"Now patients will have a leg to stand on when they can get prices in advance of care," Fisher said. "And then when they insist to get the itemized bill, know whether they've been correctly charged or not."
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