The Ohio Hospital Association and several other healthcare trade groups have filed a lawsuit against the state of Ohio to block a new healthcare price transparency law, according to the Dayton Daily News.
Under the law, championed by Rep. Jim Butler (R-Oakwood), hospitals would be required to provide several price estimates to patients before rendering nonemergency care, including estimates of how much their insurer will be billed, how much their insurers will pay and how much the patient's out-of-pocket costs will be, according to the report.
Opponents of the law argue it will lead to delays in patient care, as patients may have to wait hours or days for the estimates before they would be able to receive any treatment a physician orders.
Rep. Butler argues the law will reduce Medicaid spending by causing patients to be more cost conscious when deciding where to receive medical care, according to the report.
The price disclosure law was slated to take effect Jan. 1. However, Williams County Common Pleas Court Judge J.T. Stelzer issued a 30-day restraining order last week, which temporarily halted the law. The judge scheduled a hearing in the case for Jan. 20.
More articles on healthcare industry lawsuits:
5 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements
Ousted CEO sues Broward Health
2 ex-pharmaceutical executives charged with price fixing generic drugs