Trump Official Urges 3 Healthcare Fraud Steps to Cut Costs by Billions

4 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 25

Three immediate actions could lower healthcare costs and expose fraud, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz wrote, centering on upfront patient pricing, tighter oversight of the federal employee health program and broader employer-plan transparency.
Hundreds of billions of dollars are lost each year to hidden prices, opaque billing and middlemen, he said, arguing the main gap is enforcement rather than new legislation.
The patient-pricing push would fully implement the No Surprises Act’s Advanced Explanation of Benefits, requiring itemized expected charges before scheduled care so patients can compare prices and challenge suspicious bills.
Oz said existing authority already lets the Office of Personnel Management audit claims, standardize pricing data and verify dependent eligibility in the federal employee program, steps he said could save billions without cutting benefits.
The proposal follows Trump’s May 18 expansion of TrumpRX on drug prices and widens the administration’s transparency drive to hospitals, insurers and employer-sponsored plans.

Beyond cracking down on fraud, will these new transparency rules actually lower the high base prices set by hospitals?

How will upfront pricing change the way Americans are billed for routine medical procedures?

With federal health plans cutting benefits to save money, is this the future for all employer-provided health insurance?