12 of the 27 penalty notices CMS posted under the hospital price transparency rule from June 7, 2022 to June 3, 2026 said the hospital's website had no .txt file in its root folder pointing to the price file, or had one that left out required details, by Kent Applied's count of the notices.
12 of 27
of CMS's 27 hospital price transparency penalty notices, June 2022 to June 2026, cited the .txt file
12 of the 27 penalty notices CMS posted under the hospital price transparency rule from June 7, 2022 to June 3, 2026 said the hospital's website had no .txt file in its root folder pointing to the price file, or had one that left out required details, by Kent Applied's count of the notices.
The .txt file became a requirement on January 1, 2024 (45 CFR 180.50(d)(6)(i)). It was the requirement cited most often, ahead of no consumer-friendly list of shoppable services (11 notices) and no machine-readable file (9 notices).
Sources: CMS, Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions (opens in a new tab), The list of civil monetary penalty notices and the notice each entry links; 45 CFR 180.50(d)(6), the .txt file and the footer link (eCFR) (opens in a new tab), 180.50(d)(6)(i). Verified October 2026.
Related charts
- From research
The .txt file was the requirement CMS cited most often in its 27 price transparency fines
CMS, Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions - From research
Since late 2024, CMS's price transparency fines cite how the file is built and found
CMS, Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions; 45 CFR 180.50, requirements for making public hospital standard charges (eCFR) - From the blog
CMS has published 27 price transparency fines since 2022, 10 each in 2023 and 2025
CMS, Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions; 45 CFR 180.90, civil monetary penalties (eCFR) - From research
A fine came 68 to 626 days after CMS asked the hospital for a corrective action plan
CMS, Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions; CMS, Hospital Price Transparency Enforcement Activities and Outcomes (data.cms.gov)
Related facts
13 of 14
of the price transparency penalty notices dated December 2024 to June 2026 cited a requirement that began in 2024
13 of the 14 hospital price transparency penalty notices CMS dated from December 2024 to June 3, 2026 cited at least one requirement that began in 2024, by Kent Applied's count of the notices.
Source: CMS, Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions.
KentApplied13 of 26
of the hospitals CMS fined under the price transparency rule got a CAP request with no warning notice first
For 13 of the 26 hospitals CMS fined under the price transparency rule from June 2022 to June 2026, the first letter was a notice of violation with a request for a corrective action plan (CAP), with no warning notice before it, by Kent Applied's count of the penalty notices.
Source: CMS, Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions.
KentApplied35%
off a hospital price transparency penalty when the hospital waives its right to a hearing within 30 days
Since January 1, 2026, CMS reduces a hospital price transparency penalty by 35 percent if the hospital asks in writing, within 30 days, to waive its right to a hearing, under 45 CFR 180.90(c)(4).
Source: 45 CFR 180.90(c)(4), civil monetary penalties (eCFR).
KentApplied
Sources for the figures above: 45 CFR 180.90(c)(4), civil monetary penalties (eCFR) (opens in a new tab); CMS, CY 2026 outpatient payment final rule, hospital price transparency policy changes (fact sheet) (opens in a new tab).
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