#TXLEGE: Most ASININE Health Care Restriction You've Never Heard Of

"For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there."
James 3:16

Yesterday, the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute hosted an event related to Health Care policy.  Price Transparency was one of the major topics covered.  During that discussion, we learned about perhaps the stupidest batch of laws about which we've ever heard.

Did you know that it's illegal for insurance companies to share information with their customers about how much various providers charge them?!?  Neither did we.  But, apparently, it is.

This makes it impossible for insurance companies to discuss cost effective health care solutions, which leads to the bureaucratic morass we call the status quo.

One of the easier ways to reign in health care costs would be for insurance companies to share more information with customers.  Using more cost effective providers lowers premiums/co-pays/deductables/etc.  Unfortunately, in Texas, government policy literally makes that illegal.

Last session, Dustin Burrows filed HB 307.  Burrows' bill would have eased or reversed many of the restrictions described above.  Unfortunately, like so many bills under the old house leadership, it died in committee.

Fortunately, we have new leadership.  With new leadership comes opportunity.  If the new leadership wants to build momentum to tackle bigger issues (ie. property taxes/school finance), health care price transparency would be a good place to start.

Bottom Line: It's astonishing that this is the current law.