On Tuesday evening, the Wyoming Senate voted against House Bill 121, which would have mandated that hospitals in Wyoming publicly post the prices of their services and items on their websites.
The bill, which passed the House earlier this year, aimed to ensure greater price transparency in healthcare, allowing consumers to compare prices before seeking medical care.
Opponents of the bill expressed concerns about the potential financial strain it could place on Wyoming hospitals, particularly smaller, rural hospitals. Some legislators argued that the bill would create unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy for these hospitals, potentially adding a significant burden. Wyoming Hospital Association President Eric Boley, who opposed the bill, estimated that implementing the transparency software could cost a facility between $10,000 and $15,000 annually.
“We have successful healthcare programs in place, but why add additional obligations when it’s something we can do without?” questioned Sen. Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, in reference to the bill.
In contrast, supporters of the bill argued that it would help Wyoming hospitals comply with new federal regulations designed to increase price transparency. They pointed out that hospitals, regardless of size, would eventually have to follow these rules due to a recent executive order issued by the Trump administration, which calls for stricter enforcement of price transparency.
Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, urged fellow legislators to continue supporting the bill, emphasizing that it would give Wyoming more control over the process rather than relying on federal enforcement alone.
However, the debate surrounding the bill became more contentious with the introduction of a controversial amendment. The amendment, proposed by Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, sought to exclude public hospitals from the transparency requirements, including Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie. Additionally, the amendment reduced the daily fine for non-compliance from $1,000 to $500.
Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, voiced his opposition to the amendment, believing it undermined the intent of the bill.
“We’re not going to bankrupt these hospitals. They would be bankrupting themselves by not being in compliance,” Biteman argued.
The bill’s sponsors, including Rep. Daniel Singh, R-Cheyenne, had hoped to ensure that Wyoming moved swiftly to meet the federal transparency standards. However, the Senate vote ultimately resulted in the bill’s defeat, with 16 senators opposing the measure and 14 supporting it.
Following the vote, Cynthia Fisher, founder and chairwoman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org (PRA), issued a statement condemning the decision, accusing the senators who voted against the bill of prioritizing special interests over the welfare of patients. Fisher has long advocated for hospital price transparency and believes that greater price visibility would drive down healthcare costs by encouraging competition among hospitals.
Currently, only one hospital in Wyoming, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, complies with federal price transparency regulations. A report from PRA found that less than 22% of hospitals nationwide were in compliance with federal price transparency rules prior to the Trump administration’s recent executive order.
Despite the Senate’s decision, Fisher remains committed to pushing for greater transparency, arguing that it would benefit both consumers and hospitals.
“It behooves smaller and rural hospitals to attract patients by offering competitive prices,” Fisher said.
She suggested that many of these hospitals already have the necessary data and could easily comply with the law.
