Health care cost transparency bill passes Senate budget panel

Health care price transparency legislation favored by Gov. Rick Scott cleared the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee Thursday by a 6-2 vote. SB 1496, sponsored by Fleming Island Republican Sen. Rob Bradley, would have the Agency for Health Care Administration set up an online system to compare medical procedure prices at hospitals and surgery centers, and require medical facilities to provide itemized bills for services. The bill also aims to make timely responses to billing questions law and would require insurance providers to detail…