The Blubber

Trump Signs Executive Order Strengthening Healthcare Price Transparency

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at strengthening price transparency in healthcare by directing federal agencies to strictly enforce a 2019 order issued during his first term.

The order instructs the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to develop a comprehensive framework within 90 days to ensure full enforcement of Trump’s 2019 healthcare transparency mandate.

Key Provisions of the Order

Under this directive, federal agencies must:

• Enforce the disclosure of actual healthcare prices, not estimates
• Update existing guidance or propose new regulations to ensure price information is standardized
• Strengthen enforcement policies to guarantee compliance

“You're not allowed to even talk about pricing when you go to a hospital or see a doctor,” Trump told reporters while signing the order. “This allows you to ask questions and compare costs. Some people don’t like it because they make less money, but it’s great for patients.”

Background on Trump’s 2019 Healthcare Transparency Order

Trump’s 2019 executive order required:

• Hospitals to maintain a consumer-friendly pricing display for up to 300 shoppable services and provide a machine-readable file listing negotiated rates for every service they offer
• Health insurers to publicly post their negotiated rates with providers, out-of-network payments, and actual prescription drug costs
• Health plans to provide an online tool allowing consumers to access pricing information

Industry Pushback and Legal Challenges

The healthcare industry, particularly hospital groups, strongly opposed the rule, arguing that disclosing private negotiations with insurers would undermine competition and violate First Amendment rights. However, courts rejected these claims, upholding the transparency requirements.

Despite industry resistance, Trump’s latest executive order reaffirms his administration’s commitment to ensuring that patients have clear access to healthcare pricing information.