The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) has continued its search for a firm that can build a price comparison tool for consumers . A sources sought notice was released to find any companies with the knowledge to create a transparency - focused web portal , and a formal request for proposals could be released later based on responses . Interested parties – who need to have experience in storing and transmitting medical provider data , and using bid and auction information for health care procedures – need to respond by 24 September . The move comes as the agency wants hospitals to be more transparent about their charges to patients . It has updated its price transparency guidelines , inspired by the Affordable Care Act , by requiring hospitals to publish a list of standard charges in an online format from 1 January . The information , which also needs to be machine - readable , must be updated at least yearly . It is not clear whether the two initiatives are connected . The agency previously said that it was considering possible future actions on how hospitals could best provide cost data that would be most useful to consumers – enabling them to easily compare prices and quality of providers . But some expressed disappointment with the plan . Steven Weissman , a former hospital president , said he did not think a hospital price comparison tool would help consumers . He doesn't think any potential hospital price comparison tool will ultimately help consumers. " Meanwhile , the American Hospital Association , as well as others in the industry , argued that payers should be the main source of price information for patients . However , the CMS rejected those arguments and said nothing justifies a delay in providing chargemaster data to the public .
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) has continued its search for a firm that can build a price comparison tool for consumers . A sources sought notice was released to find any companies with the knowledge to create a transparency - focused web portal , and a formal request for proposals could be released later based on responses . Interested parties – who need to have experience in storing and transmitting medical provider data , and using bid and auction information for health care procedures – need to respond by 24 September . The move comes as the agency wants hospitals to be more transparent about their charges to patients . It has updated its price transparency guidelines , inspired by the Affordable Care Act , by requiring hospitals to publish a list of standard charges in an online format from 1 January . The information , which also needs to be machine - readable , must be updated at least yearly . It is not clear whether the two initiatives are connected . The agency previously said that it was considering possible future actions on how hospitals could best provide cost data that would be most useful to consumers – enabling them to easily compare prices and quality of providers . But some expressed disappointment with the plan . Steven Weissman , a former hospital president , said he did not think a hospital price comparison tool would help consumers . Meanwhile , the American Hospital Association , as well as others in the industry , argued that payers should be the main source of price information for patients . However , the CMS rejected those arguments and said nothing justifies a delay in providing chargemaster data to the public .