Steven Brill, in Time magazine's March 4 issue, "Bitter Pill" describes shocking cost and billing practices of medical facilities and doctors. These greedy, shady, outrageous charges and practices must cease. California should pass a Healthcare Cost and Billing Act ensuring that patients are not abused.
Why is this important?
Charges for medical services bear little relation to cost to the provider, and vary widely, often hitting the most vulnerable hardest. Without notice the patient receives an outrageous bill. Current state law has somehow not protected victims of the abuses. That law should be clarified. Medical providers not complying with law should forfeit.
