Hospital billing was supposed to be made simpler, but federal law has failed, Sun-Times investigation finds

A federal transparency law aimed at simplifying hospital billing has failed, with patients receiving vastly different prices for the same procedures based on insurance. A Sun-Times investigation found Chicago-area hospitals charge inconsistent rates for tests like echocardiograms and MRIs, with uninsured patients sometimes paying less than those with insurance. Data analysis revealed opaque pricing driven by secret hospital-insurer negotiations.