Hospital price transparency
Shoppable display checks tied to the rule
A shoppable-services review should start with the actual requirements, not an assumption about which defect is most common. CMS says it evaluates the consumer-friendly disclosure against 45 CFR 180.60. The checks below follow that rule and its FAQ; they are not prevalence statistics or a ranking of enforcement findings.
For a published list, check coverage, the handling of CMS-specified services not offered, plain-language service descriptions, applicable charge types, payer/plan associations, location and care setting, primary billing codes, and ancillary services as applicable. Then test access and searchability, and read the last-update date. A public link does not establish that these elements are present.
For the estimator alternative, use a different checklist: does the tool cover the required services, produce a personalized single out-of-pocket amount at the time of use, and remain prominent, free and usable without an account or password? Insurance information needed for a personalized estimate is not, by itself, a prohibited barrier for this alternative.
Recommended practice is to record the exact page or result tested and the requirement it was tested against. Mark uncertain cases for review rather than presenting a failed attempt as a confirmed violation. CMS may use warning notices, corrective action plans and civil monetary penalties under its enforcement process, but this checklist does not predict a penalty or substitute for CMS's determination.