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Feds warn 18 Minnesota hospitals found noncompliant with price transparency rules

By
FOX 9
Health Care
Published June 18, 2026 3:18 PM CDT
Published June 18, 2026 3:18 PM CDT

The Brief

    • The federal government issued warnings to 18 hospitals in Minnesota after a watchdog group found that they failed to comply with price transparency rules.
    • The Minnesota Hospital Association responded by saying all of its members are now either already in compliance or awaiting confirmation of compliance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
    • The nonprofit group, Hospital Watch, is accusing major hospital systems of using vague pricing information that prevents patients, families and employers from understanding the true cost of care.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A watchdog group found 18 Minnesota hospitals were non-compliant with federal price transparency rules, leading to warnings from the federal government to provide patients and the public with basic pricing information. 

Officials have now warned more than 500 hospitals nationwide with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) charged with confirming compliance.

18 Minnesota hospitals warned for price transparency non-compliance 

Local perspective:

The nonprofit group, Hospital Watch, says "vague, incomplete and difficult-to-access pricing information" prevents accurate care costs from coming to light. 

The following Minnesota hospitals were warned by government officials over their failure to comply with federal price transparency rules:

  • Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis)
  • CentraCare – Paynesville Hospital (Paynesville)
  • CentraCare Health System – Long Prairie (Long Prairie)
  • CentraCare Melrose Hospital (Melrose)
  • Children’s Minnesota Hospital – Minneapolis (Minneapolis)
  • Cuyuna Regional Medical Center (Crosby)
  • Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital (Ely)
  • Gillette Children’s Specialty Hospital (St. Paul)
  • Johnson Memorial Health Services (Dawson)
  • M Health Fairview Bethesda Hospital (St. Paul)
  • Maple Grove Hospital (Maple Grove)
  • North Memorial Health – Robbinsdale Hospital (Robbinsdale)
  • Rainy Lake Medical Center (International Falls)
  • Riverwood Healthcare Center (Aitkin)
  • St. Cloud Hospital (St. Cloud)
  • Stevens Community Medical Center (Morris)
  • Welia Health (Mora)
  • Winona Health Services (Winona)

What they're saying:

Hospital Watch spokesperson Adam Buckalew shared the following statement on the findings:

"Patients should not have to guess what a hospital visit is going to cost. If hospitals are serious about affordability, they should start by following the basic transparency rules already on the books. Instead, too many major hospital systems are hiding prices, protecting inflated rates, and leaving families to deal with surprise bills they cannot afford.

"The hospital market in Minnesota is dominated by a handful of powerful systems. When hospitals buy up competitors and face little real competition, patients lose. Prices go up, premiums rise, and families are left with medical bills they cannot afford.

"We need real enforcement of hospital price transparency and stronger scrutiny of hospital consolidation. Sunlight is the first step toward accountability. Patients and employers deserve to know what they are being charged, why prices are so high, and whether hospitals are giving them a fair deal."

Minnesota Hospital Association response 

The other side:

Minnesota Hospital Association communications director Tim Nelson shared the following response to the watchdog findings and warnings from the federal government:

"Nonprofit hospitals and health systems are committed to being open and transparent about the cost of care. We know that patients are deeply concerned about health care affordability and want all the information they can get. 

"Every day, our member hospitals work to help patients understand what their care will cost and to connect them with financial counseling, billing support and assistance programs. Every one of our members has also been making price information easily available online for years, making every effort to comply with constantly shifting regulation.  

"A recent report that a dozen or more of our members may have been out of compliance with federal requirements did not reflect the current situation: a survey of our members this past week found that all of our hospitals and health systems are either already in compliance or awaiting confirmation of compliance from CMS. 

"Our members also contribute to the Minnesota Hospital Association’s robust, nation-leading statewide hospital price comparison tool that lets patients compare current, condition-by-condition charges at any Minnesota hospital or health system."

The Source: This story uses information taken from a news release shared by Hospital Watch and a response from the Minnesota Hospital Association. 

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