A new study from West Health and Gallup shows that a large majority of Americans are becoming more worried about how hidden healthcare costs are affecting their finances. More than half of U.S. people (52%) are worried about being able to pay these fees, which can make medical bills go up a lot without the patients knowing it. Regular services such as lab tests or physical exams performed at hospital-owned outpatient clinics or medical offices often incur additional fees. They are called "hospital facility fees."

Even worse, many Americans remain unaware of these fees. 29% of those polled said they had been charged these kinds of fees, but 50% said they didn't know if they had ever been charged them. It is widely known that facility fees increase the cost of services that would otherwise be cheaper at separate or standalone centers.

Hospital care is still the most expensive part of the U.S. healthcare system, and the poll results show that people from both parties want to change things. Nearly eight in ten Americans (79%) want the federal government to pass laws that limit building fees. 88% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans support these kinds of laws. 

President of the West Health Policy Centre Tim Lash stressed how important it was for policymakers to act quickly, saying, "The time for site-neutral payment reform is long overdue." Fixing the market flaws caused by site-specific payment rates is necessary, given the high and rising healthcare costs. A new rule might lower the cost of health care for both individuals and taxpayers by billions of dollars. Congress has received a clear directive to take action.

Over 70% of Americans think that hospitals shouldn't be able to charge more for the same services, no matter where the care takes place. This is why the call for site-neutral payment reform is growing. Supporters say that putting these changes into action would not only help patients' finances but also make healthcare prices more clear.

In recent years, facility fees have become a controversial topic because hospitals have been buying more outpatient centers and medical offices, which gives them more power to charge them.  Some people say that this practice drives up the cost of healthcare without reason, while others in the healthcare business say that these fees help pay for the administrative and operational costs of hospital systems.

The results of the West Health-Gallup poll make it clear that the federal government needs to move right away. From November 11–18, 2024, 3,583 adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in the online poll. The results have a margin of error of ±2.1 percentage points, which means they are a favorable reflection of how people feel across the country.

Analysts in the healthcare field say that limiting facility fees could help customers save a lot of money and make the U.S. healthcare market more efficient. However, they caution that implementing site-neutral payment reforms would necessitate careful consideration of hospital funding to ensure access to essential services.

Strong support for change from both parties may give legislation the push it needs to move forward. Supporters like Lash are still hopeful, seeing the problem as one of fairness and responsibility when it comes to money. "People shouldn't have to pay more just because of where they get care," Lash said.

As public pressure grows, the attention now turns to Congress. It is still unclear whether lawmakers will use this deal between Democrats and Republicans to make real changes.