Obamacare is in the news a lot these days as the COVID-era subsidies are set to expire and premiums will skyrocket. Healthcare costs have ballooned astronomically since Democrats passed Obamacare in 2010, reform is desperately needed.
One of the most significant issues is transparency. Consumers know what they pay for their premiums and deductibles, of course, but most people don't know what they actually pay for their healthcare services. How much does an MRI cost? What is a visit to your doctor going to set you back?
With Congressional Republicans set to announce their Obamacare proposals in the coming days, two groups are pushing for more transparency in healthcare pricing. The American Parents Coalition (APC) and Save Our States (SOS) have both launched ad campaigns calling for an end to hidden healthcare costs.
The APC launched the "Parents Need Prices" campaign to push for "real transparency."
Hidden healthcare prices are crushing family budgets and parents can’t plan care without knowing costs upfront.
— American Parents Coalition (@USAParent) December 10, 2025
We’ve launched the Parents Need Prices campaign to fight for real transparency and explain how new federal action can help families finally see clear prices. pic.twitter.com/tJ1hWMX965
And according to economists, such a change can save American consumers $1 trillion by redirecting it from the " unproductive healthcare industrial complex to the private economy by empowering consumers, increasing competition, and eliminating waste and inflationary middle players."
In addition to the ad, the APC launched a website and sent a letter to President Trump requesting that he address the issue. The letter reads in part:
I write on behalf of parents across America to thank you for your tireless work supporting families and ask you to continue urgently addressing the lack of healthcare price transparency that is crippling American families.
As parents, one of our most important priorities is the health and safety of our children. Financial uncertainty, however, has become a significant barrier for parents seeking proper care for their families. Without knowing prices first, it is nearly impossible for us to put our families first.
When it comes to healthcare costs, we are often left in the dark. We are given little to no pricing information, especially on the front end of medical care. As a result, parents are unable to compare prices between hospitals or providers and often receive extremely costly bills after treatment has been administered. In the current system, parents don’t receive clarity from their insurer on what they will owe until they receive the bill. We are left without knowledge of out-of-pocket costs ahead of care, eliminating the choice to find an option that may reduce costs without sacrificing quality.
It’s hard enough as parents to endure the anxiety that our children’s illnesses or medical issues induce. The compounding factor of price obscurity adds to this burden, and all too often forces many to delay necessary care or follow-up appointments due to unknown prices, uncertainty from insurers, and growing medical bills. The consequences of these pricing practices are impacting our families every day.
In the same vein, SOS launched ShowUsYourPrices.com, a website devoted to medical pricing transparency and resources to connect consumers with legislators to demand real change. SOS Executive Director Trent England also sent a letter to President Trump, asking for assistance with this matter. It reads, in part:
Rising healthcare costs have become an unaffordable burden for many American families and businesses. Insurance premiums reflect these escalating costs and https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/10/24/exclusive-echelon-insights-poll-reveals-gop-midterm-boost-from-trumps-healthcare-price-transparency/n both workers and employers. Small businesses, in particular, are harmed by rising premiums that make it increasingly difficult to hire, provide raises, and stay competitive.
The United States spends more than any other country on healthcare. Yet when Americans receive care, they mostly do not know: What will it actually cost?
Mr. President, you hold the power to fix this and fundamentally transform healthcare for Americans.
In fact, you laid the critical groundwork in your first term, reiterated this February with your historic executive order to deliver "radical transparency" for healthcare costs. Your executive order promises not shady estimates but real prices. The path forward is clear: every American deserves the right to know real prices, to compare before care, with the freedom to make informed decisions about medical care.
In a statement, APC Executive Director Alleigh Marre said, “Parents deserve to know the price of healthcare, just like when we shop for groceries or plan activities for our kids. Hidden healthcare costs make financial planning impossible and decisions difficult. Given the uncertainty of pricing when going to the doctor, parents may forgo medical care or opt out of appointments for themselves or their children, putting their health at risk. Thanks to President Trump and his Make America Healthy Again agenda, he is paving the way for families to have access to prices through healthcare price transparency, but there is more work to be done and we are urging the Trump Administration to continue implementing these transparency policies that will have huge impacts on parents. Parents need prices first, so they can put their families first.”
This is a winning issue heading into the 2026 midterms, with 40 percent of voters citing the cost of living as their primary concern. President Trump's push for healthcare pricing transparency gave the GOP a boost in the midterm polling, too.
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