(WDNews) — U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is throwing his support behind two federal bills designed to increase transparency in health care — one focused on improving informed consent for veterans receiving high-risk medications and another aimed at ensuring patients nationwide can see real prices for medical services before treatment.
Tuberville joined Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) in introducing the Written Informed Consent Act, which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to obtain written consent from veterans before prescribing antipsychotics, stimulants, antidepressants, anxiolytics, or narcotics. The measure expands a prior VA requirement applied only to long-term opioid therapy.
“Our vets deserve the very best health care,” Tuberville said. “They deserve to know the potential side effects of certain medications. As the son of a World War II veteran, I will fight every day to make sure our veteran heroes get the care they need.”
Supporters say the bill aims to curb overprescription within the VA, where the average veteran receives nearly 30 prescriptions annually. Lawmakers point to a similar policy enacted under former VA Secretary David Shulkin that contributed to a significant drop in opioid prescriptions.
Tuberville also joined Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) in cosponsoring the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, which would require hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and clinical labs to publicly disclose negotiated rates, cash prices, and detailed billing information. The bill also ensures group health plans have access to claims data.
“Patients should be able to know upfront exactly how much they will be paying,” Tuberville said, criticizing current health care pricing practices for lacking clarity. Marshall compared the issue to eating at a restaurant without seeing a menu price, saying patients need accurate cost information to make informed decisions.
The legislation mirrors price-transparency executive orders issued during the Trump Administration in 2019 and earlier this year, seeking to make the requirements permanent and broaden their reach.
Both bills have drawn support from veterans’ organizations, health transparency advocates, and lawmakers who argue the measures would lead to more accountability and better decision-making for both veterans and civilian patients.
