“To make fully informed decisions about their health care, patients must know the price and quality of a good or service in advance.”*

New rules published last month likely require your employer health plan to phase-in certain disclosures over a three-year period beginning in one year:

1. January 1, 2022 (three files must be disclosed): For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, non-grandfathered group health plans will be required to make available to the public three separate machine-readable files that include detailed pricing information (standardized format and updated monthly):

a. File #1 (in-network providers): The first file must show the negotiated rates for all covered items and services between the plan and in-network providers, except prescription drugs (see File #3 below).

b. File #2 (out-of-network providers): The second file must disclose the historical payments to, and billed charges from, out-of-network providers.

c. File #3 (prescriptions): The third file must disclose the in-network negotiated rates and historical net prices for all covered prescription drugs.

2. January 1, 2023 (online shopping tool required for 500 items): For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, non-grandfathered group health plans must make available to participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees (or their authorized representative) personalized out-of-pocket cost information, and the underlying negotiated rates, for 500 identified covered health care items and services through an internet-based self-service tool, and in paper form, upon request. (Note: This is intended to give consumers real-time and accurate estimates of their cost-sharing liability for health care items and services from different providers in real time, allowing them to both understand how costs are determined and also to shop and compare health care costs before receiving care.)

3. January 1, 2024 (online shopping tool for everything): For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, non-grandfathered group health plans must make available to participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees (or their authorized representative) personalized out-of-pocket cost information, and the underlying negotiated rates, for all covered health care items and services, including prescription drugs, through an internet-based self-service tool, and in paper form, upon request.

These disclosures are radical. Network providers and third-party administrators will be working hard and spending a lot of money over the next 12 months to try to comply with these new requirements. Ultimately, employers are likely responsible for ensuring compliance so you might check with your service providers to find out their plan and make sure you have an understanding of their timeline (which is likely just starting to develop).

* Executive Order on Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Healthcare to Put Patients First (June 24, 2019).