Committee approves hospital price-transparency bill after debate over scope, compliance costs

Senate File 57, the "Hospital Price Transparency Act," passed the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee after testimony from the sponsor, state health officials, hospital representatives and insurers.

Sponsor Senator Brennan said the bill mirrors existing federal rules where possible and requires hospitals licensed under state law to publish searchable standard charges, submit corrective action plans when out of compliance and face civil penalties for persistent violations. "This act shall be known and may be cited as the hospital price transparency act," Brennan told the committee as she walked members through definitions, reporting requirements and a departmental enforcement role.

Deputy director Franz Fuchs of the Wyoming Department of Health clarified that the state’s Title 35 hospital definition includes psychiatric and rehabilitative hospitals and that the department would likely adopt regular rulemaking to implement the act; he said enforcement would align with existing survey procedures.

Public testimony showed broad, if cautious, support. Jeff Daugherty of Cicero Action said consumers need prices to comparison-shop and to foster cost-conscious decisions. "My hope in supporting this bill today is to give Wyoming families and workers the same clear pricing information that you might expect when you go to buy a car," he said.

Eric Boley, president of the Wyoming Hospital Association, said hospitals generally support transparency but warned the requirement imposes real costs on smaller hospitals — citing a reported example of about $40,000 in upfront programming costs and roughly $3,500 per month in ongoing costs for one small hospital — and described federal compliance timing and software challenges. "This is an unfunded mandate," Boley said.

Representatives of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming (Raymond Redd and Dirk Deistel) urged the panel to consider insurer obligations under federal law and to look at broader changes that affect affordability; they said insurers already must publish extensive transparency files on reimbursement and that the interplay between insurer and hospital data merits review.

The committee adopted a technical LSO correction (adding a sunset date in the title) and approved final passage by roll call; the clerk announced nine ayes and the bill passed the committee as amended. Senator Brennan was asked to identify a House co-sponsor to carry the measure to the floor.

What happens next: With committee passage, the bill awaits floor sponsorship and scheduling. The Department of Health would be responsible for rulemaking and enforcement if the measure becomes law.