Enforcement, penalties, and the daily clock
Everything here is public and verifiable. We establish the reality, the lifecycle, the math, the published notices, without a roster of who’s non-compliant. That’s not the front door’s job.
The lifecycle
- 01
Warning Notice
CMS notifies the hospital of deficiencies. The penalty clock starts here, the notice date is the date daily penalties are measured from if the file is not corrected.
- 02
Corrective Action Plan
If deficiencies persist, CMS may require a CAP with a deadline. The hospital submits and executes a plan to bring the file into compliance.
- 03
Civil Monetary Penalty
If a hospital does not correct, CMS may impose a daily penalty and may keep imposing additional penalties until full compliance. Notices are published.
- 04
Closure
When the file is corrected the hospital notifies CMS at HPTCompliance@cms.hhs.gov, and CMS closes the case. Most warned hospitals reach closure without a fine.
The penalty math
| Hospital size | Daily penalty |
|---|---|
| 30 or fewer beds | $300/day |
| 31 to 550 beds | $10/bed/day |
| More than 550 beds | $5,500/day |
Statutory annual range $109,500–$2,007,500. Median imposed penalty near $93,214.
Published notices
These are published civil-monetary-penalty documents, safe to cite by name. They show the daily-clock mechanic in the real world.
Glenwood Regional Medical Center (West Covina reference)
≤ 30 beds · $300/day × 197 days
$59,100
Castañer General Hospital
small facility · $300/day × 338 days
$101,400
Source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency enforcement actions.
Frequently asked
- How does the hospital price transparency penalty accrue?
- A civil monetary penalty accrues daily from the warning date until the file is corrected. The daily rate is $300 for hospitals with 30 or fewer beds, $10 per bed per day for 31 to 550 beds, and $5,500 per day above 550 beds. CMS may impose additional penalties until full compliance.
- What is the largest hospital price transparency penalty?
- Published civil monetary penalty notices range from about $59,100 to over $100,000 for single facilities, with a statutory annual range of $109,500 to $2,007,500 and a median imposed penalty near $93,214.
- Are most hospitals fined for price transparency?
- No. Warnings are common; fines are rare. The vast majority of hospitals that receive a warning correct their file and reach closure without a penalty. The value is seeing the warning and the clock early.
- When did CMS enforcement begin?
- CMS began enforcing the rule on April 1, 2026. Schema v3.0 has been required since January 1, 2026.
See where your own file stands against the rule, before the warning.
Check your hospital