A new poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights for The Center Square reveals overwhelming public support for price transparency in health care. Of the 2,533 registered voters surveyed Aug. 12‑16, 88% said it is at least “somewhat important” for patients to see the cost of services before receiving care.
Poll methodology and key findings
The online and text‑to‑web survey included an even split of 930 Republicans, 930 Democrats and 673 Independents. Among independents, 330 identified as true independents with no party lean. Only 8% of respondents rated price transparency as not important or not at all important. Support was strongest among voters age 65 and older and those with college or graduate degrees, with about 91% of seniors indicating the issue mattered to them.
Black voters expressed slightly less enthusiasm, though still a clear majority: roughly 81% said price disclosure was important, while 9% were unsure.
Legislative action in the Senate
In July, the U.S. Senate advanced the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, legislation that would require hospitals and insurance providers to publicly report negotiated rates, cash prices and other cost information for ambulatory services, surgery centers, imaging labs and clinical labs. Senator Roger Marshall (R‑Kansas), a sponsor of the bill, said the measure could lower family health‑care costs by about $1,000 per month and would “force transparency and competition into health care.”
Senator Rand Paul (R‑Kentucky) was the lone vote against moving the bill out of committee, arguing that the legislation does not address fixed prices in the health‑care market and would not meaningfully reduce costs for Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Industry and expert commentary
Mike Noble, CEO of Noble Predictive Insights and pollster for the survey, called price transparency a “no‑brainer” issue for voters, noting that unlike other policy areas, there is no powerful lobbying coalition pushing against it in Washington. He cautioned, however, that passing the legislation will still require sufficient political will in Congress, given the entrenched interests of health‑care providers.
The poll’s results align with a growing national conversation about how to curb rising medical expenses and give families clearer information to make informed decisions. Advocates argue that when patients can compare prices, competition will drive down costs, while opponents worry that mandated disclosures could disrupt existing reimbursement arrangements.
What this means for families
For many American households, especially those with limited insurance coverage, hidden medical bills remain a major financial strain. The strong voter support for price transparency suggests that families across the country are eager for policies that make health‑care costs more predictable and manageable.
As the Senate continues to consider the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, the public’s clear preference for openness may shape the final language of the bill and influence future state‑level initiatives aimed at increasing health‑care price visibility.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
