Carl Crabtree

Good news for constituents concerned with medical debt, Crabtree said a bill has been put forth that would require doctors and hospitals to get their bills to insurance companies within a month, and to make them clear. Getting behind the effort, he said, is Idaho billionaire, Frank VanderSloot.

Part of the motivation for legislation was in response to actions by some unscrupulous collection agencies that are making people pay more than they should.

“Usually, these are life-changing costs,” he said, and the bills can often trickle in for a year or more, continuing to surprise people with yet another invoice for payment.

“We think that’s unfair, and we’re fixing to change that,” Crabtree emphasized. Lawmakers plan to officially introduce the bill this week.

Read the full story on Idaho County Free Press.