EXCERPT:
HARRIS: “Unfair debt, the accumulation of debt that really in so many ways paralyzes so many people. So, Alex, your story is a reminder of the tremendous burden that medical debt forces on so many people, and today it is my honor to be joined by a group of leaders who are fighting to ease that burden. Members of our cabinet and our administration, advocacy groups and health care professionals. So thank you all for being here. The President and I know that one of the biggest challenges facing working families today is the rising cost of living. Helping Americans lower their monthly bills is one of our administration’s top priorities. And that is why we are here today. There are so many people in our country with stories like that of Alex. So many people, some of whom you might know, who were rushed to the hospital because their appendix burst, or because they took a nasty fall, and who are still paying off the bill years later. Parents, who have sat in a hospital parking lot, afraid to bring their child through those sliding glass doors of the emergency room because they knew if they walk through those sliding glass doors, they may be out thousands of dollars that they don’t have.”