A recent report by the Maine People’s Alliance showed that more than 60 percent of Maine hospitals did not give the pricing information to consumers when they asked for it. I think we should all be outraged. What are the hospitals trying to hide?

I can’t think of any other place where I would purchase a product without knowing what it would cost. Medical care should be no different.

I also can’t think of a legitimate excuse why every staff person in a billing department should not be aware of a list of prices of common procedures and be willing to hand it to anyone who asks, as Dirigo health legislation says it should be done.

I urge every patient in Maine to demand the cost of any and every procedure before it is performed. It seems that this pricing notification will not be the norm in many Maine hospitals until all patients demand it.

Julia K. Simpson, Auburn

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