The issue of transparency in hospital prices has gathered a full head of steam nationwide. The Federal government, most state governments, the major health care insurers and scores of major hospitals are demanding — and responding to demands — that hospitals publish their prices so that consumers can make informed decisions about their health care choices. Nearly 4,000 U.S. hospitals currently participate in the American Hospital Association‟s Hospital Quality Alliance, the initiative to provide information to the public about the quality of health care in America‟s hospitals. The momentum of similar price-transparency initiatives, driven by Federal and state statutes, consumer advocates, opinion leaders, media and consumers is unstoppable. This issue briefing was written for the board of directors of a major healthcare system.