Editing No Pricing Transparency: What to make Illegal (section)

===Key Provisions:===

#Mandatory Price Disclosure:
##All healthcare providers (hospitals, clinics, etc.) must publicly and clearly disclose the full costs of all services, treatments, and procedures on their websites.
##Prices should be presented in a standardized, consumer-friendly format.
##Prices should reflect out-of-pocket costs for uninsured patients and estimate costs for insured patients based on common insurance plans.
##Providers must update their pricing data quarterly to reflect current charges.
#Standardized Billing Practices:
##Implement standardized billing codes and descriptions across providers to ensure uniformity and comparability of services.
##All bills must clearly outline individual service costs and bundled charges.
#Anti-Bundling Protections:
##It will be illegal for healthcare providers to bundle unnecessary services with required ones.
##Patients must be given the option to decline any non-essential services.
#Enforcement Mechanism:
##Establish a federal body responsible for monitoring compliance with this law, empowered to inspect, investigate, and impose fines.
##Healthcare providers found violating the transparency rules will face fines of up to $100,000 per instance. Repeat offenders may face higher fines or criminal prosecution.
#Increased Antitrust Enforcement:
##Direct federal agencies to scrutinize mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare sector more rigorously.
##Ensure that no healthcare provider engages in anti-competitive behavior like exclusive contracts with insurers.
#Insurance Company Accountability:
##Insurance companies must also provide clear information on costs and coverage to prevent hidden or unexpected charges.
##Penalties for insurers found deliberately obscuring cost data or misrepresenting coverage.