,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #acbf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #ba1 #bjac ,mr4  
,burgess 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,g5e ,gre5 (  
,texas1 & ,mr4 ,c>t]7 introduc$ ! foll[+
 bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d  
title ,,xix ( ! ,social ,security ,act  
to provide = increas$ price transp>5cy (
 hospital in=mation & to provide =      
additional rese>* on consum] in=mation  
on *>ges & out-(-pocket co/s4  #a4 ,%ort
 title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,heal? 
,c>e ,price ,transp>5cy ,promotion ,act 
( #bjac4  #b4 ,increas+ ! transp>5cy (  
in=mation on hospital *>ges & mak+      
available in=mation on e/imat$          
out-(-pocket co/s = heal? c>e s]vices   
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,title ,,xix ( ! ,social   
,security ,act is am5d$--  7#a7 9       
section #aijb7;a7 7#db ,u4,s4,c4        
#acif;a7a771 by ins]t+ aft] p>agraph    
7#gg7 ! foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#gh7     
provide t ! ,/ate w e/abli% & ma9ta9    
laws1 9 accordance ) ! requirem5ts (    

section #aiba;,a1 to require disclosure 
( in=mation on hospital *>ges1 to make  
su* in=mation available to ! public1 &  
to provide individuals ) in=mation ab\t 
e/imat$ out-(-pocket co/s = heal? c>e   
s]vices2  2 &  7#b7 by ins]t+ aft]      
section #aiba 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acifr-#b7 
! foll[+ new section3  #aiba;,a4        
,increas+ ! transp>5cy ( in=mation on   
hospital *>ges & provid+ consum]s )     
e/imates ( out-(-pocket co/s = heal? c>e
 s]vices  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! requirem5ts   
ref]r$ to 9 section #aijb7;a77#gh7 are t
 ! laws ( a ,/ate mu/--  7#a7 9         
accordance ) subsection 7b7--  7,a7     
require ! disclosure ( in=mation on     
hospital *>ges2 &  7,b7 provide = access
 to su* in=mation2 &  7#b7 9 accordance 
) subsection 7c71 require ! provision ( 
a /atem5t ( ! e/imat$ out-(-pocket co/s 
( an individual = anticipat$ future     
heal? c>e s]vices4  7b7 ,in=mation on   
hospital *>ges ,! laws ( a ,/ate mu/--  
7#a7 require disclosure1 by ea* hospital
 locat$ 9 ! ,/ate1 ( in=mation on !     

*>ges = c]ta9 inpati5t & outpati5t      
hospital s]vices 7z det]m9$ by ! ,/ate7 
provid$ at ! hospital2 &  7#b7 provide =
 timely access to su* in=mation by      
individuals seek+ or requir+ su*        
s]vices4  7c7 ,e/imat$ out-(-,pocket    
co/s ,! laws ( a ,/ate mu/ require t1 ^u
 ! reque/ ( any individual ) heal?      
insurance cov]age sponsor$ by a heal?   
insurance issu]1 ! issu] mu/ provide a  
/atem5t ( ! e/imat$ out-(-pocket co/s t 
are likely to be incurr$ by ! individual
 if ! individual receives p>ticul> heal?
 c>e items & s]vices )9 a specifi$ p]iod
 ( "t4  7d7 ,rules ( con/ruction ,no?+ 9
 ?is section %all be con/ru$ z--  7#a7  
au?oriz+ or requir+ ! ,secret>y to      
e/abli% uni=m /&>ds = ! ,/ate laws      
requir$ by subsections 7b7 & 7c72  7#b7 
requir+ any ,/ate ) a law enact$ on or  
be=e ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is section  
t--  7,a7 meets ! requirem5ts (         
subsection 7b7 or subsection 7c7 to     
modify or am5d su* law2 or  7,b7 meets  
"s b n all ( ! requirem5ts ( subsection 

7b7 or subsection 7c7 to modify or am5d 
su* law except to ! ext5t necess>y to   
address ! unmet requirem5ts2  7#c7      
preclud+ any ,/ate 9 :i* a program (    
volunt>y disclosure ( in=mation on      
hospital *>ges is 9 effect f adopt+ a   
law codify+ su* program 7o!r ?an its    
volunt>y nature7 to satisfy ! requirem5t
 ( subsection 7b77#a72 or  7#d7         
gu>antee+ t ! out-(-pocket co/s ( an    
individual w n exce$ ! e/imate ( su*    
co/s provid$ pursuant to subsection 7c74
  7e7 ,def9itions ,= purposes ( ?is     
section3  7#a7 ,! t]m heal? insurance   
cov]age has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9      
section #bgia7;b77#a7 ( ! ,public ,heal?
 ,s]vice ,act4  7#b7 ,! t]m heal?       
insurance issu] has ! mean+ giv5 su* t]m
 9 section #bgia7;b77#b7 ( ! ,public    
,heal? ,s]vice ,act1 except t su* t]m   
also includes--  7,a7 a ,m$icaid manag$ 
c>e organization 7z def9$ 9 section     
#aijc7m772 &  7,b7 a ,m$ic>e ,advantage 
organization 7z def9$ 9 #ahei7;a77#a71  
tak+ into acc\nt ! op]ation ( section   

#bja7;b7 ( ! ,m$ic>e ,prescription      
,drug1 ,improvem5t1 & ,mod]nization ,act
 ( #bjjc74  ,section #ahef7;b77#c7 %all 
n preclude ! application to a ,m$ic>e   
,advantage organization or a ,m$ic>e    
,advantage plan (f]$ by su* an          
organization ( any ,/ate law adopt$ to  
c>ry out ! requirem5ts ( subsection 7b7 
or 7c74  7#c7 ,! t]m hospital means an  
in/itution t meets ! requirem5ts (      
p>agraphs 7#a7 & 7#g7 ( section         
#ahfa7;e7 & includes ^? to :i* section  
#ahbj7;c7 applies4  4  7b7 ,effective   
date  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,except z provid$ 9 
p>agraph 7#b71 ! am5dm5ts made by       
subsection 7a7 %all take effect on      
,octob] #a1 #bjad4  7#b7 ,exception ,9 !
 case ( a ,/ate plan = m$ical assi/ance 
"u title ,,xix ( ! ,social ,security    
,act :i* ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human  
,s]vices det]m9es requires ,/ate        
legislation 7o!r ?an legislation        
appropriat+ funds7 9 ord] = ! plan to   
meet ! additional requirem5ts impos$ by 
! am5dm5t made by subsection 7a71 !     

,/ate plan %all n be reg>d$ z fail+ to  
comply ) ! requirem5ts ( su* title      
solely on ! basis ( its failure to meet 
^! additional requirem5ts be=e ! fir/   
day ( ! fir/ cal5d> qu>t] beg9n+ aft] ! 
close ( ! fir/ regul> session ( ! ,/ate 
legislature t beg9s aft] ! date ( !     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 ,= purposes ( !    
previ\s s5t5ce1 9 ! case ( a ,/ate t has
 a #b-ye> legislative session1 ea* ye> (
 su* session %all be deem$ to be a      
sep>ate regul> session ( ! ,/ate        
legislature4  #c4 ,rese>* on in=mation  
valu$ by consum]s on *>ges &            
out-(-pocket co/s = heal? c>e s]vices   
7a7 ,rese>* on in=mation valu$ & us$ by 
consum]s ,! ,director ( ! ,ag5cy =      
,heal?c>e ,rese>* & ,quality 79 ?is     
section ref]r$ to z ,,ahrq7 %all conduct
 or support rese>*1 pursuant to section 
#ija7;b77#a77;,d7 ( ! ,public ,heal?    
,s]vice ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4             
#bii7;b77#a77;,d771 on--  7#a7 ! types (
 in=mation on ! *>ges1 & out-(-pocket   
co/s1 = heal? c>e s]vices t individuals 

f9d useful 9 mak+ decisions ab\t :]e1   
:51 & f :om to receive c>e2  7#b7 h[ !  
types ( in=mation valu$ by individuals =
 mak+ su* decisions v>y by :e!r !y h    
heal? b5efits cov]age &1 if !y d1 ! type
 ( su* cov]age !y h1 su* z traditional  
insurance1 heal? ma9t5ance              
organizations1 pref]r$ provid]          
organizations1 & high d$uctible plans   
c\pl$ ) heal? sav+s acc\nts2 &  7#c7    
ways 9 :i* su* in=mation may be made    
available on a timely basis & 9         
easy-to-und]/& =m to individuals fac+   
su* decisions4  7b7 ,report ,! ,director
 ( ,,ahrq %all report to ! ,congress on 
! results ( su* rese>* n lat] ?an #ah   
mon?s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is    
,act1 toge!r ) recomm5dations = ways 9  
:i* ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t c assi/ ! ,/ates 
9 a*iev+ ! objective specifi$ 9         
subsection 7a77#c74  7c7 ,au?orization (
 appropriations ,!re are au?oriz$ to be 
appropriat$ su* sums z may be necess>y  
to c>ry out ?is section4