FTC warns 24 large healthcare companies over incomplete or misleading price disclosures
The agency says meeting federal price transparency rules does not shield healthcare providers from liability under consumer protection law.
What we know
- FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent letters on October 5, 2026, to 24 of the largest U.S. healthcare services companies, according to the agency. [2]
- The letters say failing to give patients timely, accurate and complete pricing can be an unfair or deceptive practice under Section 5 of the FTC Act. [2]
- The FTC said compliance with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services price transparency rules does not create a safe harbor from FTC Act liability. [2]
- The agency said it sued online contact lens seller Lens.com last week over how it represented contact lens prices. [2]
- Not yet confirmed: The FTC did not name the 24 companies in the sources reviewed, and it did not say whether any of them are under investigation or face enforcement action.
The Federal Trade Commission sent letters on Monday to 24 of the nation's largest healthcare services companies, warning that failing to give patients clear pricing information can violate federal law. The agency announced the action in a post on X and in a press release. [1][2]
According to the FTC, the letters remind the companies of their legal obligation to give patients timely, accurate and complete prices for healthcare services. The agency said the concern is greatest for routine and non-emergency care scheduled in advance. [2]
The FTC said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' price transparency rules set a baseline for pricing disclosure. It said that meeting those requirements does not mean a facility has met its obligations under Section 5 of the FTC Act, and that the CMS rules do not create a safe harbor. [2]
The letters say a disclosure can be deceptive if it is incomplete, for example if it leaves out physician or facility fees or covers only part of the expected course of care. Inaccurate disclosures can also mislead, the FTC said. The agency added that a failure to provide transparent pricing may be unfair if it causes substantial injury that consumers cannot reasonably avoid. [2]
FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson urged the companies to review their price disclosure practices and take swift corrective action where needed, the agency said. [2]
The FTC said healthcare is a priority area and pointed to a Healthcare Task Force that Ferguson created earlier this year. It also said it sued Lens.com last week, alleging the company misrepresented the price of contact lenses in search ads and on its website. [2]