Hospital Competition Act of 2020
Latest action (25 Aug 2020): Introduced
What this bill does
The Hospital Competition Act of 2020 seeks to address hospital market concentration and increase price transparency in health care. It would authorize $160 million for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate anti-competitive hospital mergers and practices, apply Medicare Advantage payment rates to certain hospitals in highly concentrated markets, and create a state grant program (funded at $1 billion annually through 2030) tied to states removing certain regulatory barriers such as certificate-of-need laws or restrictive scope-of-practice rules. It would also require hospitals to publicly post average prices for commonly used services, adjust reimbursement rates for critical access hospitals, apply site-neutral Medicare payments to off-campus provider-based departments, repeal certain ACA provisions related to physician self-referral exceptions and ACO eligibility, and extend FTC antitrust authority to certain nonprofit hospitals. Additional sections would ban "gag clauses" preventing insurers from sharing price and quality data and prohibit certain anticompetitive contract terms between insurers and providers.
The bill would primarily affect hospitals, health insurers, Medicare beneficiaries, and state governments, particularly hospitals operating in concentrated markets or receiving Medicare payments, as well as states seeking federal infrastructure grants. Insurers and providers negotiating network contracts would also be subject to new transparency and anti-restriction requirements.
The bill was introduced in the House on August 25, 2020, by Rep. Jim Banks and referred to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary. It did not receive a vote and did not advance further in the 116th Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Hospital Competition Act of 2020 This bill provides grants to states to improve hospital infrastructure, addresses anticompetitive mergers and practices by hospital systems, modifies the requirements for publishing the prices of the most common services used in hospitals, provides the Federal Trade Commission with additional oversight authority, and requires the development of a database to inform patients about the cost, quality, and value of their care.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 8098 do?
- The Hospital Competition Act of 2020 seeks to address hospital market concentration and increase price transparency in health care. It would authorize $160 million for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate anti-competitive hospital mergers and practices, apply Medicare Advantage payment rates to certain hospitals in highly concentrated markets, and create a state grant program (funded at $1 billion annually through 2030) tied to states removing certain regulatory barriers such as certificate-of-need laws or restrictive scope-of-practice rules. It would also require hospitals to publicly post average prices for commonly used services, adjust reimbursement rates for critical access hospitals, apply site-neutral Medicare payments to off-campus provider-based departments, repeal certain ACA provisions related to physician self-referral exceptions and ACO eligibility, and extend FTC antitrust authority to certain nonprofit hospitals. Additional sections would ban "gag clauses" preventing insurers from sharing price and quality data and prohibit certain anticompetitive contract terms between insurers and providers. The bill would primarily affect hospitals, health insurers, Medicare beneficiaries, and state governments, particularly hospitals operating in concentrated markets or receiving Medicare payments, as well as states seeking federal infrastructure grants. Insurers and providers negotiating network contracts would also be subject to new transparency and anti-restriction requirements. The bill was introduced in the House on August 25, 2020, by Rep. Jim Banks and referred to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary. It did not receive a vote and did not advance further in the 116th Congress.
- Has H.R. 8098 become law?
- Not yet. As of 25 Aug 2020, H.R. 8098 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 8098?
- H.R. 8098 was sponsored by Sen. Jim Banks [R-IN] (Republican-IN), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 8098?
- Introduced (25 Aug 2020).
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