South Carolina Freedom Initiative 2025
South Carolina is a state that inspires and innovates to improve the lives of all. At Americans for Prosperity-South Carolina (AFP-SC), we recognize that our public policy must set the bar for long-term economic freedom, opportunity, and prosperity.
Public Disclosure/Price Transparency: Turning Patients into Shoppers
When people shop around for goods and services, they compare prices and make an economic decision based on value. We want the same thing for health care. When you know how much something costs, you can make economic decisions and compare alternatives.
South Carolina can do that by:
• Rewarding patients who shop around for medical services with the cost savings for that medical care. Currently, patients have no incentive to shop for lower-cost care because they often pay the same amount regardless of which provider they choose.
• Requiring a medical service provider to give a price estimate 24 hours before a service or procedure is administered. Final bill cannot exceed that estimate + 5% unless there were complications resulting from the service or procedure.
• Requiring public disclosure of standard pricing information by health care facilities, including freestanding emergency medical care facilities, urgent care or retail clinics, outpatient clinics, birthing centers, and ambulatory surgery centers, particularly for facilities that receive taxpayer dollars.