During a White House event unveiling a sweeping $50 billion rural healthcare plan, President Donald Trump returned talked abouot hospital price transparency and the need to make healthcare costs clearer for patients.
The remarks came shortly after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touched on similar issues in a recent press conference, where he argued that “no government should mandate medical choices” while also calling for greater transparency in the healthcare system.
Speaking at the event, Trump described the current healthcare market as one where ordinary Americans are often left in the dark about what they will actually pay. “We want transparency. You’re not allowed to ask a doctor how much is it going to cost. You’re going to have your heart ripped out and you’re not allowed to negotiate. This is a giant scam,” he said.
Trump repeatedly emphasized that hospitals and insurers should no longer be able to conceal costs from patients. “The word transparency is a very important word,” he added, arguing that providers “can’t get away with ripping you off any longer.”
He also claimed that his administration would require hospitals and insurers that accept Medicare or Medicaid to publicly post their prices.
“Most importantly, we’ll require any hospital or insurer who accepts Medicare, Medicaid to prominently post all prices,” Trump said, suggesting that such disclosure is currently restricted.
However, that statement contained a factual error. Federal law has already required hospitals to publish standard pricing information since January 1, 2021. This is under the Hospital Price Transparency Rule, implemented during Trump’s first term.
During the event, Trump also promoted a “most favoured nation” policy aimed at lowering U.S. d**g costs by tying them to the lowest prices paid by other countries. He criticized the role of insurance companies in healthcare.
