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Thompson Highlights Surprise Medical Bill Burden on Patients

May 21, 2019

Discusses potential solutions in subcommittee hearing

Washington – Today 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. A statement from Thompson is below and you can click here to watch his discussion in today's hearing.

"We have all heard the stories – the $23,000 MRI, the $48,000 treatment for a bad rash. 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."

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where he chairs the Subcommittee on Tax Policy. Rep. Thompson is Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He is also Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus and a member of the fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Coalition.

Issues:Health Care