Trump admin seeks health-care price transparency

(The Center Square) - Taxpayer advocates are applauding the Trump administration over its efforts calling for medical price transparency in federal employee health-care plans while health-care industry leaders are pushing back. The Office of Personnel Management requested comments from industry leaders and health-care experts on transparency within claims data for federal employee health insurance plans. Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, said the issue is significant for taxpayers because they pay for federal employees health-care benefits. He said the system is opaque and does not provide appropriate access to the most competitive prices in the market. “Hospitals and other medical providers set their prices, and they benefit from the opacity,” England told The Center Square. “They benefit from the fact that it’s just hard to see.” England said that open access to claims data could mean the difference b