Editorial: Cost Transparency Essential for Health Reform

A Sacramento Bee editorial argues that for the Affordable Care Act, "or any reform of the U.S. health care system ... to work, we have to figure out how to bend the cost curve downward," as health care costs are currently "way out of line." However, U.S. residents first "have to be able to see posted prices for visits, procedures and drugs," the editorial states. It concludes, "Before we can reduce costs, we have to know what they are. Then we can all protest excessive costs and hold providers accountable."

• "Editorial: Why Does U.S. Pay so Much for Basic Medicine?" (Sacramento Bee, 6/4).