Congressman Langworthy Introduces 'CHECK Act' To Bring Transparency and Accountability to Health Care Costs

Washington, D.C. - June 3, 2026…Congressman Nick Langworthy today introduced the Clear Healthcare Expense Cost Knowledge (CHECK) Act, legislation designed to increase transparency throughout the healthcare system, empower patients with clear information about their medical costs, and hold healthcare middlemen accountable for hidden fees and opaque billing practices.

The CHECK Act increases transparency throughout the healthcare system by giving employers greater visibility into healthcare spending, providing patients with clearer insurance information, and requiring providers to furnish detailed itemized medical bills before seeking payment. Specifically, it strengthens oversight of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), third-party administrators (TPAs), and other healthcare middlemen and ensures patients receive detailed itemized medical bills before providers can seek payment or pursue collections. By bringing costs out into the open, the bill helps patients better understand what they are paying for, promotes accountability among healthcare middlemen and providers, and supports a more competitive healthcare marketplace.

"Americans deserve greater transparency and information about their healthcare costs so they can make informed decisions about their care," said Congressman Nick Langworthy. "The CHECK Act shines a light on the hidden costs and middlemen driving up healthcare expenses, gives patients clear and understandable information about their services, and helps protect families from surprise charges. Greater transparency means greater accountability, and that's exactly what this legislation delivers."

Among its key provisions, the CHECK Act:

• Requires PBMs, TPAs, provider networks, and other healthcare service providers to disclose detailed claims, reimbursement, pricing, fee, rebate, and payment information to health plans on a quarterly basis.

• Prohibits contractual "gag clauses" that prevent employers and health plans from accessing information about healthcare spending.

• Requires health plans and insurers to provide patients with detailed Explanations of Benefits within 45 days of receiving a claim, including plain-language descriptions of services, billing codes, insurance payments, patient cost-sharing obligations, and deductible information.

• Requires healthcare providers and facilities to furnish patients with itemized medical bills before seeking payment or initiating collections actions.

• Protects patients from charges that exceed previously disclosed estimates unless providers can demonstrate medically necessary unforeseen circumstances or patient-requested changes in services.

• Establishes meaningful penalties for healthcare middlemen and providers that fail to comply with transparency requirements.

The legislation applies to both ERISA-regulated health plans and self-funded, non-federal governmental health plans, ensuring broad transparency protections across the healthcare marketplace.

Congressman Langworthy concluded, "Americans deserve to understand what they are paying for before they receive a bill. Lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding healthcare costs will ultimately produce a system that is more affordable, more accountable, and better geared toward patient's needs."