POWER TO THE PATIENTS LAUNCHES NEW PSA BLASTING HOSPITALS AND INSURERS FOR “BS” ESTIMATES INSTEAD OF ACTUAL PRICES
Today, Power to the Patients began airing a new public service announcement (PSA) on national and local television in the Washington, D.C. metro area as a part of its campaign to hold hospitals and health insurers accountable for providing fully transparent prices and data to consumers, not estimates.
The 30-second PSA underscores the need for systemwide healthcare price transparency by showing how consumers in other industries would react if businesses adopted the hospital and insurer model of estimated prices and surprise bills. As one of the characters in the PSA bluntly states, “Estimates are bullsh*t.”
“This latest PSA attacks the ongoing unethical practice of hospitals and insurers rigging the healthcare system with hidden prices and estimates,” said Kevin Morra, co-founder of Power to the Patients. “This greedy profiteering comes at enormous expense to patients, families, employers, unions, and healthcare consumers across the country who rely on hospitals and insurers for coverage and care. While this portrayal of our rigged healthcare system includes levity, there is nothing humorous about more than 100 million Americans struggling with medical debt. It's time for lawmakers in Washington, and in states across the country, to step up and end this exploitation.”
In December, the U.S. Senate introduced bipartisan legislation (S.3548) to strengthen and expand healthcare price transparency requirements. This followed the passage of a bipartisan bill (H.R.5378) in the House of Representatives, which takes steps to empower patients to choose the best care at the lowest prices.
According to recent polling, 94% of Americans support healthcare price transparency, while 3 out of 5 respondents put off medical care because they didn’t know the cost.
About Power to the Patients
"Power to the Patients" is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to creating a more affordable and equitable healthcare system through price transparency. For years, hospitals and insurers have been disregarding rules requiring them to disclose prices to patients in advance of care. Patients, families, workers, unions, and employers need systemwide healthcare price transparency to make fully informed decisions about the cost and quality of their care. All healthcare consumers have the right to upfront prices. Our Health. Our Money. Power to the Patients. Additional information and PSAs at powertothepatients.org.