| President Bush on Monday in a speech to the American Hospital Association urged hospitals to make price data for medical procedures available to the public as a way to drive down health care costs. "If we want to be the leader of the world, we must do something about" rising health care costs, he said. "We're asking doctors and hospitals and other providers to post their walk-in prices to all customers.” Bush stated, "Every hospital represented here should take action to make information on prices and quality available to all your patients. If everyone here cooperates, ... we can increase transparency without the need for legislation from the United States Congress." The President also said Medicare will begin posting price data on the Internet starting June 1. He added that price information from hospitals, along with greater use of health savings accounts, would utilize market forces to keep medical costs down. A spokesman for the AHA responded that the association believes patients’ out-of-pocket expenses, rather that the full range of hospital costs, would be most beneficial to make available to health care consumers.
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