Hospitals have to share prices with patients, new executive order says 

President Trump on Monday signed an executive order that could force hospitals to disclose "prices that reflect what patients and insurers actually pay," health secretary Alex Azar told reporters. If implemented, it would also force hospitals and insurers to provide patients with estimates of their out-of-pocket costs before they receive health services. While the administration is casting the move as a win for patients, it faced instant pushback from industry players. Insurers, and even some economists, cautioned against a blanket rule on transparency, with the major lobbying group America's Health Insurance Plans warning that "publicly disclosing competitively negotiated, proprietary rates will reduce competition and push prices higher."