Add ‘Surprise Billing’ to U.S. Health Care Worries

A rare point of potential common ground for U.S. President Donald Trump and members of Congress from both parties has emerged on the topic of unexpected medical bills. Much of the debate over health care in America -- which unlike most rich nations doesn’t provide treatment for all citizens -- is what to do about the tens of millions of people who lack coverage. The latest issue to flare involves people who do have coverage, yet still can be financially imperiled by sky-high “surprise billing.”

The term generally refers to expensive, unexpected medical bills that patients receive from hospitals and doctors’ offices even when they have health insurance that they expect will cover the majority of the costs of treatment.