Contentious and confusing, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Price Transparency Rule will become effective Jan. 1, 2021.

On the surface, the requirements are straightforward: hospitals and health systems must make accessible all negotiated managed care rates in a machine-readable format, along with a list of 300 “shoppable” items –non-urgent, high-volume items and services – on their website or via an interactive tool for consumers. But below the surface lurks confusion. That is why we asked Frederick Stodolak, the president of Panacea Healthcare and a subject matter expert on hospital pricing, to be our special guest during this edition of Monitor Mondays.

Other segments featured on the podcast:

• Legislative Update: Former CMS official Matthew Albright, now chief legislative affairs officer for Zelis, will join the broadcast as a permanent guest and reports on current healthcare legislation: either proposed, pending, or passed, and its anticipated consequences.
  
  
• RAC Report: Healthcare attorney Knicole Emanuel reports on the latest audits by Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) and other third-party auditors. 
  
  
• SDoH Report: Ellen Fink-Samnick, has the latest on the social determinants of health (SDoH) specifically with pediatrics.
  
  
• Risky Business: Healthcare attorney David Glaser, shareholder in the law offices of Fredrickson & Bryon, will join the broadcast with his trademark segment, in which he reports on problematic issues facing providers.
  
  
• Monday Rounds: Ronald Hirsch, MD, vice president of R1 RCM, will be making his Monday Rounds with another installment of his popular segment.