Advocacy group: Rockford hospital not compliant with federal pricing law

One of Rockford’s three hospitals is not in compliance with a federal law requiring price transparency, according to a semi-annual report compiled by a nonprofit group advocating for transparency in the U.S. health care industry.

According to the latest sample of hospitals surveyed by Patients Rights Advocate, UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital in Rockford is among 45 medical centers in the state that are not in compliance with the law.

Only 39% of the 74 Illinois hospitals surveyed by Patient Rights Advocate are in compliance, the report shows.

The law went into effect Jan. 1, 2021, and requires hospitals to provide clear, accessible online pricing information about items and services they provide.

Nationwide, only 689 of 2,000 hospitals that were part of the latest sample were fully compliant with the law.

Hospitals that do not fall into compliance can be fined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency charged with enforcing the law.

Jim Hagerty writes about business, growth and development and other general news topics for the Rockford Register Star. Email him at jhagerty@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Advocacy group: Rockford hospital not compliant with federal price law