You have insurance. So why the huge bill?

[Consumer Reports]   Dear Friend, You play by the rules. You get health insurance. You check to make sure the hospital or doctor you’ve picked is ‘in-network’ so you know your medical care is covered. But thanks to healthcare industry loopholes, you could still get stuck with a surprise medical bill for thousands of dollars even when you follow all the rules! Help us close these costly loopholes now. Bills in Congress would ban surprise medical bills, making sure that when you go to an in-network hospital or medical center, you pay only in-network prices. [Ask your Congressional delegation to ban surprise medical bills](. It’s important lawmakers hear from you, because they’re hearing plenty from lobbyists whose clients want to make big money from surprise medical bills.  [Send your message](  Right now, there is no nationwide guarantee that your in-network hospital will use doctors and labs on your insurance – meaning you could get stuck paying for ‘out-of-network’ care that you rightly thought was covered. This even includes those of you with insurance through your employer. This loophole can leave you in an incredible emotional and financial bind when you are at your most vulnerable. One woman told us she was in the middle of delivering her child at an in-network facility, only to be told that the anesthesiologist performing her epidural was out-of-network. She could either pay the doctor $3,000 out of her own pocket, or forgo the pain medication! Bills in Congress would ban these types of surprise bills, and would make sure every one of us has the same protections. But lawmakers are being lobbied hard by Wall Street-backed companies that are buying up doctor practices and profiting by pushing doctors out-of-network. [Tell your members of Congress that you expect them to stand up for patients and ban surprise medical bills](. You pay for health insurance. It should work when you need it.  [Send your message](  This is a moment where consumers coming together can really pressure Congress to do the right thing. Please share this on social media or send this email to friends and family. Every one of us is vulnerable to surprise medical bills. Thank you, Kimberly Fountain Consumer Reports [Unsubscribe from Consumer Reports action alerts.]( © 2018 Consumer Reports, 101 Truman Avenue, Yonkers, NY, 10703 [Contact Consumer Reports](