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PRINTER'S NO. 2942
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2241
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, WAXMAN, PROBST, HARKINS, SHUSTERMAN,
HOWARD, KINKEAD, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, INGLIS,
RIVERA, BOYD, MAYES, MADDEN, HADDOCK, CONKLIN, CURRY AND
CIRESI, FEBRUARY 24, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
UTILITIES, FEBRUARY 25, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), entitled "An
act relating to health care; prescribing the powers and
duties of the Department of Health; establishing and
providing the powers and duties of the State Health
Coordinating Council, health systems agencies and Health Care
Policy Board in the Department of Health, and State Health
Facility Hearing Board in the Department of Justice;
providing for certification of need of health care providers
and prescribing penalties," providing for hospital price
transparency and for medical office price transparency.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known
as the Health Care Facilities Act, is amended by adding chapters
to read:
CHAPTER 8-D
HOSPITAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY
Section 801-D. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Ancillary service." A hospital item or service that a
hospital customarily provides as part of a shoppable service.
"Chargemaster." The list of all hospital items or services
maintained by a hospital for which the hospital has established
a charge.
"CMS." The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
"De-identified maximum negotiated charge." The highest
charge that a hospital has negotiated with all third-party
payors for a hospital item or service.
"De-identified minimum negotiated charge." The lowest charge
that a hospital has negotiated with all third-party payors for a
hospital item or service.
"Discounted cash price." The charge that applies to an
individual who pays cash or a cash equivalent for a hospital
item or service.
"Facility fee." A fee charged or billed by a health system
or hospital for an outpatient service provided in an off-site
health care facility, regardless of the modality through which
the service is provided, that is:
(1) Intended to compensate the health system or hospital
for health care expenses.
(2) Separate and distinct from a professional fee.
"Gross charge." The charge for an item or service that is
reflected on the hospital's chargemaster, absent any discount.
"Health care facility." As defined in section 802.1.
"Health system." As defined in section 809.2(e).
"Hospital." As defined in section 802.1.
"Item or service." An item or service, including an
individual item or service package, that can be provided by a
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hospital to a patient in connection with an inpatient admission
or an outpatient department visit for which the hospital has
established a standard charge, including any of the following:
(1) A supply or procedure.
(2) Room and board.
(3) A facility fee.
(4) A professional fee.
(5) Any other item or service for which the hospital has
established a standard charge.
"Payor-specific negotiated charge." The charge that a
hospital has negotiated with a third-party payor for a hospital
item or service.
"Professional fee." A fee charged by a health care
practitioner for medical services.
"Readable format." A digital representation of information
in a file that can be easily accessed and comprehended by an
individual with reasonable computer skills and imported or read
into a computer system for further processing without any
additional preparation.
"Shoppable service." A service that may be scheduled by an
individual in advance.
"Standard charge." The regular rate established by a
hospital for a hospital item or service provided to a specific
group of paying patients reported in United States dollar
amount. The term includes any of the following:
(1) The gross charge.
(2) The payor-specific negotiated charge.
(3) The de-identified minimum negotiated charge.
(4) The de-identified maximum negotiated charge.
(5) The discounted cash price.
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"Third-party payor." An entity that is legally responsible
for payment of a claim for a hospital item or service.
Section 802-D. Accessibility.
A hospital shall publish all of the following on its publicly
accessible Internet website and provide hard copies upon
request:
(1) A digital file in a readable format and printable
format that contains a list of all standard charges for all
hospital items or services as specified under section 803-D.
(2) A consumer-friendly and printable list of standard
charges for a limited set of shoppable services as provided
for under section 804-D.
Section 803-D. List of standard charges.
(a) List.--A hospital shall:
(1) Maintain a list of all standard charges for all
hospital items or services in accordance with this chapter.
(2) Ensure that the list is available to the public in
accordance with section 802-D.
(b) Standard charges.--The standard charges contained in the
list under subsection (a) shall reflect the standard charges
applicable to the location of the hospital, regardless of
whether the hospital operates in more than one location or
operates under the same license as another hospital.
(c) Contents.--A hospital shall include all of the following
information in the list under subsection (a):
(1) A description of each hospital item or service
provided by the hospital.
(2) The following charges for each individual hospital
item or service when provided in either an inpatient setting
or an outpatient setting, as applicable, including:
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(i) The gross charge.
(ii) The de-identified minimum negotiated charge.
(iii) The de-identified maximum negotiated charge.
(iv) The discounted cash price.
(v) The payor-specific negotiated charge, delineated
by the name of the third-party payor and plan associated
with the charge and displayed in a manner that clearly
associates the charge with the third-party payor and
plan.
(vi) A code used by the hospital for the purpose of
accounting or billing for the hospital item or service,
including the Current Procedural Terminology code, the
Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code, the
Diagnosis Related Group code, the National Drug Code or
other common identifier.
(d) Format.--A hospital shall publish the information
contained in the list under subsection (a) in a single digital
file that is in a readable format.
(e) Display.--
(1) A hospital shall post the list under subsection (a)
in a prominent location on the home page of the hospital's
publicly accessible Internet website or make the list
accessible by a dedicated link that is prominently displayed
on the home page of the hospital's publicly accessible
Internet website.
(2) If the hospital operates multiple locations and
maintains a single Internet website, the hospital shall post
the list for each location that the hospital operates in a
manner that clearly associates the list with the applicable
location of the hospital and includes charges specific to
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each individual hospital location.
Section 804-D. List of shoppable services.
(a) Duty to maintain.--Except as provided under subsection
(c), a hospital shall maintain and make publicly available a
list of the standard charges for each of at least 300 shoppable
services provided by the hospital with charges specific to that
individual hospital location. The hospital may select the
shoppable services to be included in the list, except that the
list shall include at least the 70 services specified as
shoppable services by CMS. If the hospital does not provide all
the shoppable services specified by CMS, the hospital shall
include all the shoppable services provided by the hospital.
(b) Selection.--In selecting a shoppable service for the
purpose of inclusion in the list under subsection (a), a
hospital shall:
(1) Consider how frequently the service is provided and
the billing rate for the service.
(2) Prioritize the selection of services that are among
the most frequently provided by the hospital.
(c) Exception.--If a hospital does not provide 300 shoppable
services in the list under subsection (a), the hospital shall
include the services specified as shoppable services by CMS. If
the hospital does not provide all shoppable services specified
by CMS, the hospital shall include all the shoppable services
provided by the hospital.
(d) Contents.--A hospital shall include all of the following
information in the list under subsection (a):
(1) A plain-language description of each shoppable
service included on the list.
(2) The payor-specific negotiated charge that applies to
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each shoppable service included on the list and any ancillary
service, delineated by the name of the third-party payor and
plan associated with the charge and displayed in a manner
that clearly associates the charge with the third-party payor
and plan.
(3) The discounted cash price that applies to each
shoppable service included on the list and any ancillary
service or, if the hospital does not offer a discounted cash
price for a shoppable service or an ancillary service on the
list, the gross charge for the shoppable service or ancillary
service, as applicable.
(4) The de-identified minimum negotiated charge that
applies to each shoppable service included on the list and
any ancillary service.
(5) The de-identified maximum negotiated charge that
applies to each shoppable service included on the list and
any ancillary service.
(6) A code used by the hospital for purposes of
accounting or billing for each shoppable service included on
the list and any ancillary service, including the Current
Procedural Terminology code, the Healthcare Common Procedure
Coding System code, the Diagnosis Related Group code, the
National Drug Code or other common identifier.
(7) If applicable, each location where the hospital
provides a shoppable service and whether the standard charges
included in the list apply at the location to the provision
of the shoppable service in an inpatient setting or an
outpatient setting.
(8) If applicable, an indication that a shoppable
service specified by CMS is not provided by the hospital.
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Section 805-D. Hospital price transparency availability.
(a) Accessibility.--A hospital shall ensure that a list
under sections 803-D and 804-D comply with the following
requirements:
(1) Is available free of charge.
(2) Is accessible to a common commercial operator of an
Internet search engine to the extent necessary for the search
engine to index the list and display the list in response to
a search query of a user of the search engine.
(3) Is formatted in a manner specified under this
chapter and by the department. The department shall transmit
a notice of the format to the Legislative Reference Bureau
for publication in the next available issue of the
Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(4) Is digitally searchable and printable by service
description, billing code and third-party payor.
(5) Uses a format and a naming convention specified by
the department. The department shall transmit a notice of the
format and convention to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania
Bulletin. The department shall consider a naming convention
as may be specified by CMS.
(b) Compliance.--The department shall ensure that a list
under sections 803-D and 804-D does not require any of the
following:
(1) The establishment of a user account or password or
other information of the user.
(2) The submission of personal identifying information.
(3) Any other impediment, including entering a code to
access the list.
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(c) Template.--In determining the format of a list under
sections 803-D and 804-D, the department shall develop a
template that a hospital shall use in formatting the list. The
department shall transmit the template in a notice to the
Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. In developing the
template as required under this subsection, the department shall
have the following duties:
(1) Take into consideration applicable Federal
guidelines for formatting similar lists required by Federal
law and ensure that the design of the template enables an
individual to compare the charges contained in the lists
maintained by each hospital.
(2) Design the template to be substantially like the
template used by CMS for the purposes specified in this
chapter.
(d) Frequency.--A hospital shall update the standard charge
information described in sections 803-D and 804-D at least once
annually and shall clearly indicate the date that the
information was most recently updated, either on the list or in
a manner that is clearly associated with the list. The hospital
shall make available no less than the three most recent versions
of the list as required under this chapter.
(e) Readable format.--For purposes of this chapter, the
following shall apply to a hospital providing digital files in a
readable format:
(1) The hospital shall format the file without
additional rows or spacing between data.
(2) The file shall be readily usable without any
additional instructions.
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(3) The file shall be in a readable format that is
widely used by other hospitals for cross-comparison purposes.
(f) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall preclude a
hospital from using a price estimator tool as provided for in 45
CFR 180.60 (relating to requirements for displaying shoppable
services in a consumer-friendly manner) in addition to the list
of shoppable services.
Section 806-D. Reporting requirements.
(a) Frequency.--Each time a hospital creates or updates a
list as required under section 803-D or 804-D, the hospital
shall submit the list, along with a report on the list, to the
department. The department shall determine the form of the
report and shall transmit the form of the report in a notice to
the Legislation Reference Bureau for publication in the next
available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(b) Complete data.--To be in compliance, any list received
by the department shall include a minimum of 95% of all values
required under section 803-D or 804-D and shall indicate where
values are not applicable according to the determined form and
format of the department.
(c) Attestation.--An authorized executive of a hospital or
health system shall attest, subject to 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904
(relating to unsworn falsification to authorities), that any
report or list submitted to the department under this chapter is
complete and accurate to the best of the authorized executive's
knowledge and belief.
(d) Public availability.--The department shall make all
reports and lists available on its publicly accessible Internet
website no later than 60 days after receipt of each report.
(e) Applicability.--A health system may make the report for
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each hospital that it owns or operates, provided that each
hospital has its own separate report.
Section 807-D. Submission of complaints.
The department shall establish an electronic form for
individuals to submit complaints for alleged violations of this
chapter. The department shall post the electronic form on its
publicly accessible Internet website. The department shall also
accept complaints via a department customer service telephone
number.
Section 808-D. Plans of correction.
Upon determining that a hospital has violated this chapter or
the regulations promulgated under section 811-D, the department
may issue a written notice to the hospital stating that a
violation has been committed by the hospital. The following
shall apply:
(1) The department shall state in the written notice
that the hospital is required to take immediate action to
remedy the violation or, if the hospital is unable to
immediately remedy the violation, submit a plan of correction
to the department.
(2) If the hospital is required to submit a plan of
correction to the department under paragraph (1), the
department may direct that the violation be remedied within a
specified period of time. The hospital must submit the plan
of correction no later than 30 days after the date of
issuance of the written notice.
(3) If the department determines that the hospital is
required to take immediate corrective action, the department
shall state in the written notice that the hospital is
required to provide confirmation to the department that the
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corrective action has been taken.
Section 809-D. Sanctions and penalties.
(a) Grounds for sanctions.--The department may sanction a
hospital for:
(1) Violating this chapter or the regulations
promulgated under section 811-D.
(2) Failing to take immediate action to remedy a
violation of this chapter or regulations promulgated under
section 811-D.
(3) Failing to submit a plan of correction to the
department or failing to comply with a plan of correction in
accordance with section 808-D.
(4) Violating an order previously issued by the
department in a disciplinary matter.
(5) Any other reason specified in this chapter or the
regulations promulgated by the department under section 811-D
as necessary to implement this chapter.
(b) Civil penalties.--The department may impose a civil
penalty for conduct prohibited under subsection (a) each day
that a hospital engages in the conduct constituting a separate
and distinct incident, as follows:
(1) No more than $2,500 for a first incident.
(2) No more than $5,000 for a second incident.
(3) No more than $10,000 for a third incident.
(4) No more than $15,000 for a fourth or subsequent
incident.
(c) Ineligibility.--A hospital that is sanctioned under
subsection (a) for a third or subsequent offense shall be
ineligible to receive a payment from the Hospital Uncompensated
Care Program under Chapter 11 of the act of June 26, 2001
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(P.L.755, No.77), known as the Tobacco Settlement Act, for the
fiscal year following the third or subsequent offense.
(d) Audits.--The department may audit the publicly
accessible Internet websites of hospitals to ensure compliance
with this chapter.
(e) Administrative proceedings.--The department shall hold
hearings and issue adjudications for proceedings conducted under
this chapter in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. (relating to
administrative law and procedure) and shall conduct the
proceedings in accordance with 1 Pa. Code Pt. II (relating to
general rules of administrative practice and procedure).
(f) Judicial appeals.--Department adjudications issued under
this chapter may be appealed to Commonwealth Court under 42
Pa.C.S. § 763 (relating to direct appeals from government
agencies).
Section 810-D. Reports.
The department shall report annually on the progress in
implementing and administering this chapter and submit the
report to:
(1) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Appropriations Committee of the Senate.
(2) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.
(3) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Health and Human Services Committee of the Senate.
(4) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Health Committee of the House of Representatives.
(5) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Human Services Committee of the House of Representatives.
Section 811-D. Regulations.
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(a) Temporary regulations.--In order to facilitate the
prompt implementation of this chapter, regulations promulgated
by the department shall be deemed temporary regulations that
shall expire no later than two years following publication.
Temporary regulations promulgated under this subsection shall
not be subject to:
(1) Section 612 of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177,
No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929.
(2) Sections 201, 202, 203, 204 and 205 of the act of
July 31, 1968 (P.L.769, No.240), referred to as the
Commonwealth Documents Law.
(3) Sections 204(b) and 301(10) of the act of October
15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth
Attorneys Act.
(4) The act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as
the Regulatory Review Act.
(b) Expiration.--The department's authority to adopt
temporary regulations under subsection (a) shall expire two
years after the effective date of this subsection. Regulations
adopted after this period shall be promulgated as provided by
law.
(c) Publication.--The department shall submit temporary
regulations to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication
in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin no
later than six months after the effective date of this
subsection.
(d) Regulations.--The department shall promulgate
regulations as provided by law prior to the expiration of the
temporary regulations as necessary to implement this chapter.
CHAPTER 8-E
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MEDICAL OFFICE PRICE TRANSPARENCY
Section 801-E. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Chargemaster." The list of all individual items and
services maintained by a medical office for which the medical
office has established a charge.
"De-identified maximum negotiated charge." The highest
charge that a medical office has negotiated with all third-party
payors for a medical item or service.
"De-identified minimum negotiated charge." The lowest charge
that a medical office has negotiated with all third-party payors
for a medical item or service.
"Discounted cash price." The charge that applies to an
individual who pays cash or a cash equivalent for a medical item
or service.
"Gross charge." The charge for a health care item or service
that is reflected on the medical office's chargemaster, absent
any discount.
"Health care facility." As defined in section 802.1.
"Item or service." An item, service or service package that
could be provided by a medical office to a patient for which the
medical office has established a standard charge, including any
of the following:
(1) A supply or procedure.
(2) Room and board.
(3) A facility fee that includes the use of a hospital
or other item.
(4) A professional fee that includes the service of a
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health care practitioner.
(5) Any other item or service for which a medical office
has established a standard charge.
"Medical office." A health care practitioner, group of
health care practitioners or health care facility that charges
patients for health care services and procedures. The term does
not include a hospital, pharmacy or pharmacist.
"Payor-specific negotiated charge." A charge that a medical
office has negotiated with a third-party payor for a health care
item or service.
"Standard charge." A regular rate established by a medical
office for a health care item or service provided to a specific
group of paying patients reported in United States dollar
amount. The term includes any of the following:
(1) The gross charge.
(2) The payor-specific negotiated charge.
(3) The de-identified minimum negotiated charge.
(4) The de-identified maximum negotiated charge.
(5) The discounted cash price.
"Third-party payor." An entity legally responsible for
payment of a claim for an item or service.
Section 802-E. Public availability of price information
required.
A medical office shall make available to patients a consumer-
friendly and printable list of the standard charges for the
items and services most frequently provided by the medical
office in compliance with section 803-E.
Section 803-E. List of standard charges.
(a) Duty to maintain.--A medical office shall:
(1) Maintain a list of the standard charges for the most
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frequently provided items or services in accordance with this
chapter.
(2) Ensure that the list is available to the public.
(b) Contents.--The list under subsection (a) shall include:
(1) A description of each item or service that was
provided by the medical office at least 50 times in the
preceding calendar year.
(2) The following charges for each individual item or
service that was provided by the medical office at least 50
times in the preceding calendar year:
(i) The gross charge.
(ii) The de-identified minimum negotiated charge.
(iii) The de-identified maximum negotiated charge.
(iv) The discounted cash price.
(v) The payor-specific negotiated charge, delineated
by the name of the third-party payor and plan associated
with the charge and displayed in a manner that clearly
associates the charge with the third-party payor and
plan.
(vi) A code used by the medical office for the
purpose of accounting or billing for the hospital item or
service, including the Current Procedural Terminology
code, the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code,
the Diagnosis Related Group code, the National Drug Code
or other common identifier.
(c) Location and accessibility.--A medical office shall
inform patients verbally, in writing or electronically about the
availability of the standard charges for the most frequently
provided items and services prior to rendering health care
treatment for the purpose of obtaining informed consent to the
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treatment.
(d) Online data.--A medical office shall establish, maintain
and post on the medical office's publicly accessible Internet
website a list of the standard charges for the most frequently
provided health care services and procedures.
(e) Frequency.--The medical office shall update the standard
charge information described in subsection (b), and maintained
on the list required by subsections (a) and (d), at least once
annually. The medical office shall clearly indicate the date
that the information was most recently updated.
(f) Exemptions.--A medical office that does not have a
publicly accessible Internet website is not required to comply
with subsection (d). A medical office without a publicly
accessible Internet website shall post a written notice on
prominent display to patients at the physical location of the
medical office.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in six months.
20260HB2241PN2942 - 18 -
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