WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) discussed the heavy burden of surprise medical bills on patients in a House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health hearing.

“We have all heard the stories – the $23,000 MRI, the $48,000 treatment for a bad rash,” said Thompson. “And we all know the heavy burden surprise medical bills can have on patients. In fact, one study found that 20 percent of hospital visits that began in the emergency room resulted in a surprise bill. Patients should be taken out of this process and we must also ensure solutions don’t limit access to health care or raise costs and premiums. We must ensure these surprise bills don’t continue to hit our constituents and that they can continue to access quality, medical care.”

Watch his discussion in the video of the Tuesday hearing above.