November 18, 2021
WASHINGTON D.C. — After the transformative election earlier this month in Virginia for the offices of Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General, parents and families concerned about skyrocketing medical costs are looking forward to working with the new state leadership as too many providers still resist health care price transparency.
“This is a new season for Virginia, and we look forward to working with those who were newly elected on November 2. With the promises of respect for parental choice, health care freedom, religious liberty and the sanctity of life playing such a prominent role in this election, we have grounds to hope we will be working closely with the Commonwealth’s new leadership. Patients deserve transparency and freedom when making health care decisions, and we have an opportunity to advance these rights on behalf of Virginia families,” said Katy Talento, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (The Alliance, ahcsm.org).
The Alliance welcomes Glenn Youngkin, elected for Governor; Jason Miyares, elected for Attorney General; and Wisome E. Sears, the first woman Lt. Governor as well as the first woman of color to win statewide office in Virginia.
The Alliance has many good reasons to fight for price transparency in health care:
- Hospital prices hikes vastly outpace the growth in wages, prices for other health care services, or even the rate of inflation.
- Nearly 1 in 5 Americans can’t pay for necessary health care.
- Overwhelming medical costs are the cause of more and more bankruptcies.
- In January a new federal requirement took effect requiring an end to secret hospital prices, but only 1 in 3 hospitals are fully compliant with the new transparency requirements.
“Hospital compliance in Virginia with the new price transparency rule is disgracefully and inexcusably low,” Talento said. “We call on all hospitals to stop the cover-up and honor their patients’ rights to meaningful price transparency in advance of care.”
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries was established as a 501(c)(6) trade organization to represent the common interests of Health Care Sharing Ministry organizations which are facilitating the sharing of health care needs (financial, emotional, and spiritual) by individuals and families, and their participants. The Alliance engages with federal and state regulators and policy makers, members of the media, and the Christian community to provide accurate and timely information on Health Care Sharing Ministries.
Learn more about the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries visit www.ahcsm.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.
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To interview a representative from The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
