The Trump administration's price transparency rule seems like a good start but this article makes it seem like compliance is inconsistent and typically the bare

The Trump administration's price transparency rule seems like a good start but this article makes it seem like compliance is inconsistent and typically the bare legal minimum (rather than meeting the intentions of the law). In reality pricing should be up-front, before you visit a provider, with clarity on exactly what services are being provided, what the cost of those services will be, and what the cost is elsewhere in the area. If additional services could be necessary based on diagnosis, the highest likelihood "add ons" should also be advertised up-front similarly. When care is provided in the moment, the same should apply. The prices also need to fit some standard that is reasonably easy to interpret, unlike the mess of codes that exist today, resulting in dubious insurance claims. I know that's a lot and I'm sure those suggestions could use some refinement - but my worry is that the increased price transparency we're getting now is not something customers can put to use in practice. That is, it may have no effect on improving competition in healthcare. Lastly, any new rules we put into place need to have real consequences attached - like fines and jail time that would serve as actual deterrents to non-compliance.