Resolution on Transparency in Health Care Exposed

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The Resolution on Transparency in Health Care was adopted by ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force at the Annual Meeting on July 27, 2007, approved by the ALEC Board of Directors August, 2007. According to ALEC.org, the Resolution was re-approved by the Board of Directors on January 28, 2013. (Accessed on 2/11/2016).

CMD's Bill Summary

This Resolution encourages health insurers and providers to make public information on the cost and quality of the health care they provide. It also opposes any state mandates or legislation that would require them to do so.

ALEC Bill Text

WHEREAS, [Insert state] finds that consumers are becoming more value conscious when making decisions about their personal health care and financing of such health care and as a result are seeking greater transparency in health care information; and

WHEREAS, [Insert state] finds that greater access to information about cost and quality of health care is particularly critical for the growing number of consumers enrolled in “consumer-driven health plans” such as health savings accounts, health reimbursement arrangements, flexible spending accounts, etc. which offer consumers unprecedented opportunity to determine how their health care dollars are spent; and

WHEREAS, [Insert state] finds that increased transparency in cost and quality data has been shown to drive positive change in health care including greater cost containment for consumers engaged in promoting quality and controlling overall health costs; and

WHEREAS, [Insert state] finds that voluntarily, the private sector has developed and implemented successful transparency programs that provide valuable information about the cost and quality of care; and

WHEREAS, [Insert state] has a great interest in the quality and cost of health care provided to all residents including state employees and beneficiaries of state-funded health programs.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT [Insert state legislative body] supports a system of health care transparency which ensures that:

  • Consumers are provided with relevant, useful, accurate, actionable, and understandable information about the quality and cost of health care; and
  • The private sector is encouraged to build upon its effective ongoing voluntary efforts to enhance transparency; and similarly, that private sector innovations are not sidetracked or otherwise discouraged by the imposition of burdensome and costly mandates; and
  • Providers are encouraged to collect quality and cost data and to make it available to patients, health plans, and others who are working toward greater quality and cost savings in health care.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT [Insert state] demonstrates and underscores its commitment to increased transparency in health care by making quality and cost data related to state-funded health programs available to state employees and beneficiaries of publicly-funded programs.

Adopted by the Health and Human Services Task Force at the Annual Meeting, July 27, 2007.

Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors August 2007

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