The vast majority of US hospitals are ignoring a new bipartisan federal law that requires the facilities to make their service prices available to the public, new research shows, and the Joe Biden administration is facing growing criticism for not doing enough to enforce compliance with the landmark rule.

Now one state, Colorado, has taken matters into its own hands, passing an innovative law to bring its hospitals into compliance with the federal price transparency requirements — despite health care lobbyists’ efforts to sink the legislative effort.

The state of affairs reveals just how far health care interests are willing to go to prevent consumers from making informed financial decisions about their medical care — but also hints at a potential way forward to finally force hospitals to reveal their prices, a first step in making health care more affordable for all.