One thing wrong with our current health care system is a scheme called “surprise medical bills.”
When someone needs to go to the doctor, the emergency room, or the hospital, they often assume, or are even told directly, “insurance will cover this treatment.” Yet weeks or months later, a surprise medical bill may arrive — often for thousands of dollars. The insurance company refuses to pay, so the hospital or health care provider demands payment from the patient.
The result is often financial difficulty or even bankruptcy for the poor victim. An emergency room visit can often become a financial emergency as well. Medical bills are the number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S.
The Biden administration, to its credit, recently banned these surprise medical bills. That is why we are shocked and dismayed that Rep. Richard Neal is attempting to bring back surprise medical bills. See https://theintercept.com/2022/01/17/surprise-medical-billing-lawsuit. This will please corporations that donate to his campaign, but not people who need medical care.
We can only speculate about Mr. Neal’s reasons, but we think he should be fighting for his constituents, not helping the health care industry overcharge us. Isn’t that why we sent him to Congress? If you are troubled by Rep. Neal’s actions, we urge you to call or email his office and ask him to fight for us, not the health care corporations.
Brooks Ballenger
Amherst