Mr. Kennedy’s bill seeks to double the current fines that CMS levies against noncompliant hospitals, according to a Feb. 25 news release from his office. Under his proposal the fines would be as follows:
- Hospitals with fewer than 30 beds: $600 per day
- Hospitals with 31 to 550 beds: $600 to $11,000 per day
- Hospitals with more than 550 beds: $11,000 per day
Mr. Kennedy previously introduced the legislation in 2022.
His legislation was reintroduced on the same day that President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at boosting healthcare price transparency. The order directs HHS, and the Labor and Treasury departments to “rapidly implement and enforce” healthcare price transparency enforcement regulations that he introduced in his first term. The departments are tasked with updating their enforcement policies to ensure hospitals and insurers are in compliance with requirements to make prices transparent.
To date, 18 hospitals have been fined for alleged price transparency violations.
