The American Hospital Association argued in a July 25 post on its website that the latest hospital price transparency report from patientrightsadvocate.org "blatantly misconstrues, ignores and mischaracterizes hospitals' compliance with federal price transparency regulations."
Patientrightsadvocate.org's July 20 report found that only 721 (36 percent) of the 2,000 hospitals examined were fully complying with the price transparency rule, up slightly from 24.5 percent compliance in February.
The AHA pointed to a report published in Health Affairs in February from two CMS officials that found that as of last year 70 percent of hospitals had complied with both federal requirements and more than 80 percent complied with at least one.
"Due to the ongoing efforts of the hospital field, these numbers are surely higher today," Molly Smith, the AHA's group vice president of policy, said in the post.
According to an April 26 CMS fact sheet, the agency has issued more than 730 warning notices and 269 requests for corrective action plans from hospitals for noncompliance with the rules.
To date, CMS has issued fines to seven hospitals for noncompliance with the federal price transparency rule. One of those hospitals, Wichita Falls, Texas-based Kell West Regional Hospital, appealed the fine, and it is under review.