---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300gg–119"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "300gg–119"
heading: "Increasing transparency by removing gag clauses on price and quality information"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/300gg-119"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter XXV — Requirements Relating to Health Insurance Coverage"
  - "Part D — Additional Coverage Provisions"
---

# §300gg–119. Increasing transparency by removing gag clauses on price and quality information

- (a) **[^1] Increasing price and quality transparency for plan sponsors and group and individual market consumers—**
  - (1) **Group health plans—** A [group health plan](/usc/42/300bb–8.md?p=1) or [health insurance issuer](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-2) offering [group health insurance coverage](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-4) may not enter into an agreement with a [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), network or association of [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), third-party [administrator](/usc/42/300bb–8.md?p=4), or other [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) offering access to a network of [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) that would directly or indirectly restrict a [group health plan](/usc/42/300bb–8.md?p=1) or [health insurance issuer](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-2) offering such coverage from—
    - (A) providing [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8)-specific cost or quality of care information or data, through a consumer engagement tool or any other means, to referring [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), the [plan sponsor](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-13), enrollees, or individuals eligible to become enrollees of the plan or coverage;
    - (B) electronically accessing de-identified claims and encounter information or data for each enrollee in the plan or coverage, upon request and consistent with the privacy [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) promulgated pursuant to [section 264(c)](/usc/42/264.md?p=c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the amendments made by the [Genetic Information](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-16-A) Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 [[42 U.S.C. 12101](/usc/42/12101.md) et seq.], including, on a per claim basis—
      - (i) financial information, such as the allowed amount, or any other claim-related financial obligations included in the [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) contract;
      - (ii) [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) information, including name and clinical designation;
      - (iii) [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) codes; or
      - (iv) any other data element included in claim or encounter transactions; or
    - (C) sharing information or data described in subparagraph [(A)](#a-1-A) or [(B)](#a-1-B), or directing that such data be shared, with a business associate as defined in section 160.103 of title 45, Code of Federal [Regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) (or successor [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d)), consistent with the privacy [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) promulgated pursuant to [section 264(c)](/usc/42/264.md?p=c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the amendments made by the [Genetic Information](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-16-A) Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 [[42 U.S.C. 12101](/usc/42/12101.md) et seq.].
  - (2) **Individual health insurance coverage—** A [health insurance issuer](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-2) offering [individual health insurance coverage](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-5) may not enter into an agreement with a [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), network or association of [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), or other [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) offering access to a network of [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) that would directly or indirectly restrict the [health insurance issuer](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-2) from—
    - (A) providing [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8)-specific price or quality of care information, through a consumer engagement tool or any other means, to referring [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), enrollees, or individuals eligible to become enrollees of the plan or coverage; or
    - (B) sharing, for plan design, plan administration, and plan, financial, legal, and quality improvement activities, data described in [subparagraph (A)](#a-2-A) with a business associate as defined in section 160.103 of title 45, Code of Federal [Regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) (or successor [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d)), consistent with the privacy [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) promulgated pursuant to [section 264(c)](/usc/42/264.md?p=c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the amendments made by the [Genetic Information](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-16-A) Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 [[42 U.S.C. 12101](/usc/42/12101.md) et seq.].
  - (3) **Clarification regarding public disclosure of information—** Nothing in paragraph [(1)(A)](#a-1-A) or [(2)(A)](#a-2-A) prevents a [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), network or association of [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), or other [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) from placing reasonable restrictions on the public disclosure of the information described in such paragraphs [(1)](#a-1) and [(2)](#a-2).
  - (4) **Attestation—** A [group health plan](/usc/42/300bb–8.md?p=1) or a [health insurance issuer](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-2) offering group or [individual health insurance coverage](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-5) shall annually submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) an attestation that such plan or issuer of such coverage is in compliance with the requirements of this subsection.
  - (5) **Rules of construction—** Nothing in this section shall be construed to modify or eliminate existing privacy protections and standards under [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and Federal law. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to otherwise limit access by a [group health plan](/usc/42/300bb–8.md?p=1), [plan sponsor](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-13), or [health insurance issuer](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-2) to data as permitted under the privacy [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) promulgated pursuant to [section 264(c)](/usc/42/264.md?p=c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, the amendments made by the [Genetic Information](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-16-A) Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 [[42 U.S.C. 12101](/usc/42/12101.md) et seq.].

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. There is no subsec. (b).

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XXVII, § 2799A–9, as added Pub. L. 116–260, div. BB, title II, § 201(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2890.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(B), (C), (2)(B), (5), is section 264 of Pub. L. 104–191, which is set out as a note under section 1320d–2 of this title.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(B), (C), (2)(B), (5), is Pub. L. 110–233, May 21, 2008, 122 Stat. 881. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2000ff of this title and Tables.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(B), (C), (2)(B), (5), is Pub. L. 101–336, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 327, which is classified principally to chapter 126 (§ 12101 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 12101 of this title and Tables.