How you can protect yourself during Covid

During this pandemic, 61% of Americans have said that they have been hit by surprise medical bills.

Joining us today is Cynthia Fisher.

She is the founder of patient rights advocate.org, and she is dedicated to bringing system-wide price transparency to healthcare so that patients aren't blindsided by unexpected medical bills.

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Fisher founder of patientrightsadvocate.org lower third :51-1:07 l3: white how you can protect yourself during covid 61% of americans blindsided by medical bills l3:none this segment is sponsored by: white patientrightsadvocate.org speaker 1: during this pandemic, 61% of americans have said that they have been hit by surprise medical bills.

Joining us today is cynthia fisher.

She is the founder of patient rights advocate.org, and she is dedicated to bringing system-wide price transparency to healthcare so that patients aren't blindsided by unexpected medical bills.

Welcome to the show, cynthia, speaker 2: thank you so much.

Great to be here.

Speaker 1: well, okay.

So what questions should we ask before receiving treatments so that we can protect ourselves from these surprise bills that are arriving?

Speaker 2: well, the problem is, is that patients today are blind to know prices.

So we are so many of us have, or have known someone that has been blindsided pri prices and outrageous cost that we never knew we'd have to pay.

And that can all change in 90% of american surveyed want to know prices in healthcare before we get care.

This is a bipartisan issue.

And it's critical that in this next stimulus, because so many have been devastated with medical debt and a financial debt in this time of the pandemic, but in this next covert stimulus, we have an opportunity which would be a huge victory for all american consumers.

And that is that senator braun of indiana and senator chuck grassley introduced yesterday, a bill called the healthcare price transparency act to make hospitals show their discounted cash rates as well as hospitals and insurance companies showing their secret negotiated prices.

When we can see prices, consumers overwhelmingly know that they can then shop for the best quality of care at the lowest possible price.

Speaker 1: exactly.

So how do we fight back?

If we receive a surprise medical bill, do we always have to pay it?

Speaker 2: no.

In fact, it's best.

If you can look and see online, there are price, transparent surgical centers in 90% of care is elective.

So you can go online to like texas free market surgical, oklahoma surgical or direct primary care have doctors that post their prices online.

And employers know when we look online and we contract with these innovative price, transparent providers, they're saving their workers in their care, 30 to 50% for their families and themselves 30 to 50% savings.

And healthcare is huge.

That in itself is an economic stimulus and this stimulus can be into law at no cost to the taxpayer.

And what does this mean to our economy?

Economists believe that if we have price transparency, before we get care, we could save almost a trillion dollars a year in healthcare costs.

And that's our a trillion a year to each and every taxpayer.

Speaker 1: yeah.

So can healthcare transparency really save every american $11,000 a year?

I mean, that's what that trillion dollar really does boil down to doesn't it?

Speaker 2: well, consumers know less like in grocery and in retail and every other facet of our lives that when we can control costs in healthcare, we'll be in charge.

We'll be in control to reduce the cost, not only of care but of coverage.

So we would encourage your viewers to reach out to leader mcconnell and ask him and send him a ram paul to please sign onto this bill and put it in the next covert stimulus so that we can all save in ar as early as january of next year.

This would be huge.

Speaker 1: it's very involved.

Where can people go for more information real quick, speaker 2: anyone can go to our website at patient rights, advocate.org to voice their c1 3 support and learn more.

Speaker 1: awesome.

Cynthia, thank you so much for being here