Texas has momentum to tackle healthcare prices

When a patient walks into a doctor's office, is it reasonable for the patient to know who owns the medical practice? A similar question was part of a survey among registered voters conducted last month by Baselice & Associates for think tank Texas 2036. The results show overwhelming bipartisan support for more transparency in the healthcare system and the need for the Texas Legislature to take action. State lawmakers have an opportunity in the next legislative session to enact reforms to tackle healthcare affordability. There is growing support for price transparency and stronger oversight on healthcare consolidation, the poll shows. For the question above, 90% of respondents agreed that Texans should have the right to know who owns their hospitals, doctors' offices and health insurers. This concern should not be surprising. Hospital systems are growing through mergers, and private equity firms have been buying medical practices all over the state. Nine Texas population centers — Amarillo, Abilene, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Victoria and Corpus Christi — only have one or two hospital systems, according to a KFF analysis on health. This is also a national trend. The unease that financial decisions are overriding health needs is real. Healthcare affordability has been a major concern for voters given the rising costs of medical care, even among those with insurance. A surprising finding in this poll was the support for a greater role for the state in regulating mergers to keep the market competitive. Compared with a previous poll in 2024, there was a 12-point jump from 44% to 56% among those who strongly agreed. Partisan views are changing, said Charles Miller, director of health and economic mobility policy for Texas 2036. Lawmakers now can consider options that were not politically viable three to five years ago. Recently, the Texas House Select Committee on Health Care Affordability held a hearing focusing on areas that are driving up costs, including market concentration and price transparency. In the Texas poll, 79% favored requiring transparent and binding prices before receiving nonemergency care. Knowing how much a medical treatment would cost should not be a huge ask. In the last session, House Bill 1314 included a provision that would have required certain healthcare facilities to provide patients with a binding estimate in advance that cannot vary by more than 5%, unless there are complications or a change in diagnosis. This provision was removed before the bill passed. Other previous attempts at price transparency have fallen short in the Legislature. The current system has weak enforcement mechanisms, and the information provided on pricing is difficult to navigate or understand. The results from this recent survey and other polling showing concern on healthcare affordability indicate that there is a real opportunity for lawmakers to make meaningful action. Lawmakers can choose to listen to voters instead of lobbyists.