North Carolina Governor Signs Hospital Price Transparency Law

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) website will soon be publishing the prices of the 140 most common in-patient, surgical and imaging services performed by every hospital in the state. Governor Pat McCrory, a Republican who’s focused on regulatory streamlining and healthcare cost reduction, signed into law House Bill 834 in late August, requiring hospitals to submit pricing information on the services, among other changes. Hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers in North Carolina will submit to DHHS pricing on 100 common in-patient services, 20 common surgical procedures and 20 common imaging procedures. The new law also requires hospitals to submit their charity policy to DHHS and it will publish those policies on its website.