Committee hears testimony on bill to cap hospital price growth and extend prior-authorization protections

The Health & Human Services Committee on Tuesday discussed LD2196, an act that would expand the Office of Affordable Healthcare’s authority to monitor hospital pricing and limit the annual growth of hospital facility prices to a percentage tied to the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system market basket.

The committee heard a staff summary of the bill’s major parts, including a provision that would prevent hospital facility price growth from exceeding the referenced Medicare market-basket percentage beginning Jan. 1, 2028; a proposed cap on facility charges expressed as a multiple of Medicare rates; and language to make certain prior authorizations for chronic-condition care valid for up to one year (and in many cases only require renewal no more frequently than every two years).

Why it matters: supporters at the hearing said hospital prices and insurance premiums have risen sharply and press household budgets and employer‑sponsored coverage. Testimony cited enrollment drops in the individual marketplace and high family premiums, and said high hospital prices are a primary driver of affordability problems.

Opponents — chiefly hospital system representatives — told the committee the draft could produce large reductions in commercial revenue and threaten services in rural communities, saying hospitals operate on thin margins and rely on commercial payments to make up public-payer shortfalls. Departmental witnesses and outside experts described mixed evidence from other states that have adopted price caps.

During discussion, members asked staff for modeling and examples tying the proposed growth-cap approach to negotiated commercial rates rather than chargemaster list prices; staff said they would provide slides and modeling to the committee. Members also debated whether minimum negotiated payment floors for primary care and behavioral health (written in the bill as a percentage of Medicare) could become a de-facto maximum in some contracts.

No final vote on the bill occurred at the session; a committee member moved to table LD2196 to allow time to review proposed amendments and additional modeling, and the motion was seconded and taken by voice vote.

What’s next: the committee tabled LD2196 to allow time for additional analysis and amendment drafting.