Price Transparency Campaign Soars Over Long Island

“Demand Hospital Prices” was the message taking to the skies over Long Island beaches over the weekend as a national campaign urged consumers to find out the actual cost of hospital care before receiving it.

The aerial banner promoted Power to the Patients, a nonprofit organization seeking greater transparency in healthcare pricing and stronger enforcement of federal requirements that hospitals publicly disclose their prices.

The federal Hospital Price Transparency rule took effect in 2021, requiring hospitals to make public their standard charges, including negotiated rates with insurers. The goal is to give patients, families and employers a clearer picture of what medical services will cost and allow them to comparison shop.

Power to the Patients argues that hidden prices and unexpected medical bills can devastate families financially and that consumers should demand complete prices before undergoing procedures.

The organization has used an unconventional campaign to spread its message. Rapper Fat Joe has become one of its most visible advocates, while artist Shepard Fairey, creator of the iconic Obama “HOPE” poster, designed artwork for the movement. Other participating artists have included Jelly Roll, Wyclef Jean, Chuck D, Busta Rhymes, Method Man and the Foo Fighters.

The campaign has substantial financial backing. Power to the Patients reported $9.55 million in 2024 revenue, nearly all of it from charitable donations.

The organization PatientRightsAdvocate.org is a partner in the campaign, and its founder and chairman, Cynthia Fisher, also founded Power to the Patients. Fisher, a healthcare entrepreneur and wife of Sam Adams founder Jim Koch, is a leading voice for healthcare price transparency.