New York City Rally for Price Transparency and New Municipal Hospital Accountability Legislation
On Wednesday, the Coalition for Affordable Hospitals, which includes Power to the Patients, unions, and community groups, rallied in front of New York City Hall, demanding legislators hold city hospitals accountable for their rampant overcharging that burdens ordinary New Yorkers. Demonstrators called for hospital price transparency, which would allow patients and all healthcare consumers, including unions and employers, to shop for the highest quality care at the lowest possible price.
Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon was among the many prominent faces at the demonstration, many of whom were holding Power to the Patients placards informing patients that prices are now their right and that they can demand them. Sarandon tweeted, "I stand in support of hospital price transparency and accountability in NY. Let's hope all cities do the same."
The rally coincided with new municipal legislation introduced Wednesday by Council Member Julie Menin that will help New Yorkers reduce their hospital costs and enjoy financial certainty. Her legislation would create an Office of Healthcare Accountability that aggregates municipal hospital prices on a website so consumers can compare and save. The legislation would also assess city hospital compliance with the federal hospital price transparency rule that took effect on Jan. 1, 2021, and make recommendations to the city about how it can save on healthcare costs through price transparency.
The union SEIU 32BJ, which is also part of the Coalition for Affordable Hospitals, estimates in a recent report that New York City could save $2 billion by steering municipal employees away from price-gouging hospitals and toward public ones. Demonstrators at the rally held signs spelling out $2 billion to represent these potential savings.
SEIU 32BJ already saved $30 million by dropping overcharging NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital from its plan. With these savings, the union was able to give its members their largest pay increases in history and $3,000, helping them contend with today's historic inflation.
Robust hospital price transparency can allow all healthcare consumers to easily follow SEIU 32BJ's lead and reduce outrageous healthcare costs through choice and competition. No wonder Wednesday's demonstrators and 90% of Americans strongly support this issue.
Patients already have the right to real prices. Wednesday's rally and Menin's legislation are part of the effort to make it easier for them to exercise it and finally access the care they need at prices they can afford.