Over 500 hospitals warned of fines if they continue hiding prices from patients

“Price transparency isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue – it’s a patient issue,” Wheeler said. 

“By holding hospitals accountable and enforcing healthcare price transparency, President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [John F.] Kennedy are making healthcare honest again and giving Americans the certainty they need to seek care without fear of hidden costs or surprise bills,” Wheeler said.

“With more than 100 million Americans carrying medical debt and millions delaying care because they don’t know what it will cost, transparency empowers patients, builds trust, lowers costs through competition, and helps ensure every family can access quality care at a price they can afford,” Wheeler said.

“That’s why transparency is the first step toward making America healthy again,” Wheeler said.

Former director of the Domestic Policy Council Andrew Bremberg told The Center Square that "President Trump is doing what his predecessor failed to do and holding hospitals accountable.”

“The Trump Administration has made maximum price transparency a pillar of their healthcare agenda and by beginning enforcement actions against hospitals, they are putting their policy in action and taking a giant step toward achieving a more affordable healthcare system that puts the American people ahead of hospitals and insurance companies."  

Founder and chairman of PatientRightsAdvocate.org Cynthia Fisher told The Center Square that her organization applauds "the administration” for its actions and urges “every hospital and insurer to put the American people first." 

“Today's action by Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz is a huge win for America's patients and a strong warning to hospitals and insurers who have put profits over patients for far too long,” Fisher said. 

“President Trump's position on 'maximum' price transparency is clear: Hospitals must post upfront, actionable prices or face significant fines,” Fisher said.

Tuesday, the Trump administration sent letters to 519 U.S. hospitals warning that if they did not comply with Trump’s May executive order on providing price transparency, they could be fined up to $2 million.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and CMS administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced the letters on Tuesday, with Kennedy stating their video posted to X is a “formal notice” to hospitals still hiding prices from patients in “violation of federal law.” 

Oz said that in Trump’s first term as president, U.S. hospitals were required to post their prices publicly online, but that "unfortunately, the Biden administration did not enforce these rules.”

“Immediatley after returning, President Trump told us to fix that,” Oz said. “If [non-complying] hospitals do not come into compliance and transparently display their prices to patients, they will be fined to the fullest extent that the law allows.”

“Larger facilities can face penalties reaching $2 million for a single year of non-compliance,” Oz noted.

“For years, Americans have walked into hospitals with no idea what their care would cost, and walked out with medical bills that wiped out their savings,” Kennedy said. “That ends now.”  

“Our message to hospitals is simple,” Kennedy said. “Post your real prices. Come into compliance immediately or prepare for serious consequences. Don’t wait for a penalty notice. By then it may be too late.”  

HHS referred The Center Square to Kennedy and Oz’s announcement on X.