The House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee on Monday voted to recommend due pass for House Bill 121, a measure that would codify elements of the federal hospital price-transparency rule and give the Wyoming Department of Health explicit authority to develop rules, review hospital pricing disclosures and enforce corrective action. The committee’s recommendation passed with a roll-call tally the clerk recorded as seven ayes; the motion to advance the bill was made by Vice Chair Otman and seconded by Representative Guggenmoss.

The bill matters because it would move enforcement of price-transparency requirements from federal oversight (CMS) to a state-level process and add specific state-level duties and potential penalties. Supporters said the change would protect patients who face large, unexpected bills; opponents warned the measure could duplicate federal law, create administrative burdens for hospitals and encounter practical limits in enforcement.

Sponsor Representative Daniel Singh told the committee he filed the bill to make price-disclosure requirements “more static” than changing federal guidance. “Weve gone from requiring precise pricing to going to estimates,” Singh said, arguing state law should require more specific information than the most recent federal guidance. The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) briefed the committee on what implementing the bill would require: developing a standardized form for minimum and maximum negotiated charges, publishing a uniform report format, conducting compliance reviews — initially as off-site reviews of posted data — and enforcing corrective action plans if hospitals do not comply.

WDH Director Stefan Johansson said the department would work with providers during rule development and noted uncertainty about exact administrative costs. “We would want to work with the provider group should this pass to develop a reasonable method of complying with this law and achieving its purpose,” Johansson said, adding the department had submitted a brief administrative fiscal impact and would use an interim period to better define needed resources.

Laura Hudspeth, administrator for the states Office of Healthcare Licensing and Surveys, explained the departments survey practices and timelines. Hudspeth said Wyoming has 31 licensed hospitals that are surveyed every three to five years and that this bills reporting requirement would likely be handled as an off-site review of hospital websites unless a complaint required an on-site visit. She described the standard compliance workflow: a written statement of deficiency, a required corrective action plan and a revisit to verify compliance.

Patient advocates and individuals testified in favor of HB 121. Marnie Carey, president of Power to the Patients, recounted a case she said illustrated the problem: a patient without insurance who received COVID-era care and later faced a $32,000 hospital bill; Carey said one item — remdesivir — was charged at $2,124 per vial while the manufacturers setting price for uninsured patients is $394 per vial. Alaria Santangelo of PatientRightsAdvocate.org said a national compliance study found only 21% of hospitals fully complying with the federal rule, and she told the committee Wyoming hospitals were at 0% compliance. Several individual patients said lack of transparent pricing had delayed or complicated access to care.

Hospital officials and insurer representatives urged caution. Tim Thornell, president and CEO of Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, said his hospital posts machine-readable price files and operates a price estimator, and he cautioned against duplicative state rules that might diverge from evolving federal requirements. The Wyoming Hospital Association warned that federal enforcement activity already exists (CMS has fined hospitals for violations) and said the bill could create administrative burdens for Wyomings largely rural hospital system.

After committee discussion but no amendments, Vice Chair Otman moved the recommendation of due pass and Representative Guggenmoss seconded. The clerk reported seven ayes; the committee directed Representative Singh to carry the bill to the floor.

If enacted as written, HB 121 would (1) require the Department of Health to design a standardized form and reporting format for hospitals to publish minimum and maximum negotiated charges; (2) direct the department to incorporate those reviews into its compliance and licensing workflow; and (3) authorize corrective action plans and potential civil money penalties for noncompliance. The department and hospital representatives told the committee they intend to work together on implementation details if the bill advances.

The committee proceeded to other business after recommending the bill for passage; HB 121 will be presented on the House floor by its sponsor.