Rock ‘n’ roll ‘n’ health care price transparency

© Kristina Blokhin - stock.adobe.com

The nonprofit organization known as Power to the Patients has lined up some rock heavyweights in its fight to bring more transparency to the health care system.

Foo Fighters will be performing a concert March 5 to benefit Power to the Patients. The band will headline a private, one-night-only concert in Washington, D.C. Fat Joe and Chuck D are slated to appear as well.

The band, headlined by Dave Grohl, issued a statement in explaining its willingness to appear.

“When we were asked by Power to the Patients to help raise awareness of the need for transparency in health care pricing, we immediately said yes. People suffering from illness and injury shouldn’t have to worry about being bankrupted by surprise charges for their treatment,” the band said in a statement.

Power to the Patients has enlisted a long list of celebrities in its cause. Fat Joe appeared in a Super Bowl PSA in support of the organization, denouncing a health care system “that is rigged against all of us … one that squeezes our wages and forces patients into debt.” Fat Joe has also appeared in Washington to ask lawmakers to support legislation to ensure patients have more transparency in health care prices.

Others performing or appearing to support Power to the Patients include Lainey Wilson, who won a Grammy earlier this month for the best country album, Jelly Roll, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes and others.

Power to the Patients says patients are more empowered to make better decisions with clear prices up front. The group also is working to draw attention to the millions of Americans wrestling with medical debt.

President Biden's administration has pressed hospitals for more information on their policies on collecting payments from patients. One in three Americans has medical debt, according to the Biden administration.

Some efforts to address medical debt are taking place at the state level.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has asked lawmakers in the Garden State for a medical debt relief package. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wants legislation that would make it harder for hospitals to sue patients to collect debts. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is tapping federal COVID-19 relief funds to provide relief from medical debts for 250,000 residents.

Foo Fighters have been producing hits and selling out arenas and stadiums for more than a quarter century. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. Its string of hits includes “Best of You,” “My Hero,” “Everlong, “Learn to Fly,” and “Walk.”