Related videos:
The government of Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that more than 500 hospitals in the United States must publish clear information about their healthcare prices or face penalties of up to 2 million dollars annually per institution.
The list of medical centers that have received warning letters or requests to submit disclosure plans since April was obtained exclusively by The Associated Press.
A high-ranking government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Trump plans to tighten regulations under an executive order he signed in 2019, and that more hospitals could receive similar letters.
The problem that the measure seeks to correct
The stated goal is to tackle a structural problem within the U.S. healthcare system: that patients, employers, and insurers often do not know in advance how much common procedures, such as a blood test or an X-ray, will cost.
According to the administration, this lack of transparency directly contributes to inflating medical costs, which can ruin a family's budget.
The management wants suppliers to provide access to pricing files and ensure that the information is legitimate, rather than relying on estimates or omitting key figures.
The states and hospitals in the spotlight
Texas tops the list with 42 hospitals that received warnings, more than any other state. Among them are the Baptist Medical Center in San Antonio - one of the largest in the state, with 1,585 beds - and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Indiana reports a total of 34 hospitals, a striking figure considering that California—with five times the population—had 38.
The Ascension system, based in Missouri and one of the largest in the country, had 13 hospitals in various states that received letters.
Government officials specifically indicated that the Christiana Hospital in Delaware, the home state of former President Biden, also received a warning letter.
An agenda with background and criticism
The regulatory basis for this action dates back to the Executive Order 13877, signed by Trump in June 2019, which instructed the Department of Health to propose rules requiring hospitals to publish their standard rates, including the rates negotiated with insurers.
The rule came into effect on January 1, 2021, but compliance was weak: an audit by the Inspector General of the Department of Health in 2024 found that only 46% of the 5,879 hospitals required were in compliance with the regulation.
In his second term, Trump has expanded the agenda for reducing healthcare costs.
In February 2026, TrumpRx was launched, a site for purchasing prescription medications at reduced prices.
In November 2025, Medicare announced reductions for 15 high-cost medications, including Ozempic, whose price would decrease from $959 to $274, effective in 2027.
However, the administration faces criticism for allowing the extended subsidies of the Affordable Care Act —known as Obamacare— to expire at the end of 2025, which could have doubled premiums for millions of insured individuals.
According to the latest AP-NORC survey, only 29% of adults in the United States approve of Trump's healthcare policies, marking his lowest rating among major government issues.
Hearing in Congress
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on transparency in healthcare pricing this Wednesday, where bills such as the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act of 2026 and a proposal for hospitals to post their prices on the walls of their facilities were discussed.
Shawn Gremminger, Executive Director of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, endorsed the initiative: "Transparency is the foundation of a healthcare system that rewards competition based on cost and quality."
The administration has estimated that its combined cost reduction measures could generate savings exceeding $500 billion over ten years, although critics warn that these figures do not always translate into real savings for insured patients.
Filed under: