The hospitals that have been fined for price transparency violations came into compliance within three months of the penalties being levied against them, CMS data shows.
Using the "hospital price transparency activities and outcomes" data set recently created by CMS, Becker's was able to find actions related to 10 of the 14 hospitals that have received price transparency violation fines. In all 10 cases, the hospitals received notices from CMS informing them that previously identified deficiencies had been addressed and they were now in compliance with the rules.
The first two hospitals fined for violations were Northside Hospital Atlanta and Canton, Ga.-based Northside Hospital Cherokee. Both hospitals received their fine notices June 7, 2022. A closure notice is one sent to hospitals that addressed previously identified deficiencies and have come into compliance, according to CMS. Both received closure notices Aug. 1, 2022, indicating they were in compliance.
More recently, Jacksonville, Fla.-based UF Health North and Silver Spring, Md.-based Holy Cross Hospital received fine notices Aug. 23 and Sept. 5, 2023, respectively. Holy Cross received a closure notice Sept. 13 and UF Health North received a closure notice Oct. 19. Both hospitals have appealed their fines, according to CMS' price transparency enforcement website. The appeals remain under review.
Becker's could not find information on the following hospitals that have received price transparency fines and has reached out to CMS for more information:
- Fulton County Hospital (Salem, Ark.)
- Hospital General Castaner (Lares, Puerto Rico)
- Doctors' Center Hospital Bayamón (Puerto Rico)
- West Covina (Calif.) Medical Center