WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden announced a series of new actions to lower health care costs and eliminate loopholes for surprise junk fees in medical billing for American families.

Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of APIAHF, issued the following statement:

“We applaud the Biden-Harris administration for taking additional steps to protect American families from predatory billing. Medical debt is a serious issue for all communities and disproportionately harms communities of color. Language about Medical billing and accessing insurance can be particularly confusing for immigrant communities – and is more challenging for those that are limited English proficient. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 10 percent of Asian American households carry medical debt.

“The Biden-Harris administration has continued to deliver critical relief to Americans, especially in communities that face disparate health outcomes. We are cautiously optimistic that future policies will uplift hard-working immigrant families and marginalized communities facing unnecessary challenges in accessing care and rising health care costs.”

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The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.