Trump Says Surprise Medical Billing Ends on Jan. 1

Trump Says Surprise Medical Billing Ends on Jan. 1
Air Force One is seen as President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at MBS International Airport, in Freeland, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Mimi Nguyen Ly
9/11/2020
Updated:
9/11/2020

President Donald Trump at a rally in Freeland, Michigan on Thursday, said that surprise medical billing will end by Jan. 1.

“We will end surprise medical billing, require the biggest thing that nobody even knows about and it’s all signed and it goes into effect on January 1,” the president said on the stage at a large hangar at MBS International Airport, standing in front of the presidential aircraft Air Force One before a packed crowd.

“You better make sure I win. Can you imagine? This is going to be the biggest thing and nobody understands what it is. You'll figure it out—Price transparency. Did they fight me on that one. January 1st.”

“And further reduce health insurance premiums and the cost of prescription drugs at a level like you’ve never seen before. I’ve already signed it. Favored nations. The drug companies are not happy, I will tell you,” Trump continued.

President Donald Trump applauds as he arrives at a campaign event at MBS International Airport, in Freeland, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
President Donald Trump applauds as he arrives at a campaign event at MBS International Airport, in Freeland, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

“All you have to do is take a look at all the ads they’re running against me. Favored nations, where we pay whatever the lowest is in the world, we pay that number. We will protect Medicare and social security, and we will always protect our patients. We will always protect our people. We will protect your preexisting conditions, as I said.”

Trump recently spoke about the Jan. 1, 2021 development on ending surprise medical billing at a recent packed rally in Pennsylvania.
“You’ll be able to negotiate, you’ll be able to do things you’re not even able to do now with hospitals … it could be bigger than healthcare,” he said on Sept. 3 in Latrobe. “You’re going to see some unbelievable price reductions and that includes on drugs.”

‘We Love You’

During Trump’s speech in Michigan, the thousands gathered were heard at one point chanting “we love you.”
President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at a rally with Air Force One in the background in Freeland, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at a rally with Air Force One in the background in Freeland, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

In response, the president paused, looked away from the crowd for a moment before he turned back and smiled. “Don’t say that, I’ll start to cry, and that wouldn’t be good for my image,” he said, to laughter from the crowd. “You don’t want to see me cry. I'll start to cry.”

Earlier in the rally, Trump observed, “This is not the crowd of a person who comes in second place.” The Republican president had just arrived on the stage and opened his speech, where he expressed confidence that he and his supporters will win in Michigan and secure four more years in the White House.

“This is the most important election in the history of our country,” Trump said, telling Americans that his rival, Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden “devoted his career to offshoring Michigan’s jobs, outsourcing Michigan’s factories, throwing open your borders, dragging us into endless foreign wars and surrendering our children’s future to China and other far away lands.”

“Biden supported every disastrous globalist sellout for over a half a century, including NAFTA, China, and DPP,” the president continued. “Joe Biden surrendered your jobs to China and now he wants to surrender our country to the violent left-wing mob and you’re seeing that every night.”

“If Biden wins, China wins. If Biden wins, the mob wins. If Biden wins, the rioters, anarchist, arsonist and flag burners win,” Trump said.

President Donald Trump addresses supporters during a campaign rally at MBS International Airport in Freeland, Michigan on Sept. 10, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump addresses supporters during a campaign rally at MBS International Airport in Freeland, Michigan on Sept. 10, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

“I’m running for reelection to keep jobs in Michigan,” Trump continued. He turned to acknowledge the devastation caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus, hinting that Michigan was doing well economically in 2019 “before the China plague came in, we have the China plague. Thank you China very much. Should have never let that happen.”

Michigan’s unemployment rate spiked at 24 percent in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It has since recovered to 8.7 percent.

Referring to China, Trump said, “They should have never, ever let it happen. They stopped it from going into China, but they didn’t stop it from coming out here and coming into the U.S., in Europe and the rest of the world, 188 countries.” He added later, “We had in Michigan and in the country, the greatest economy in the history of the world, there has never been an economy.”

He said that his administration and Americans are now rebuilding the economy such that, in his words, “it’s turning out to be ... a super V. No more V. Now it’s starting out to be a super V.”

President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally in Freeland, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally in Freeland, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

“To put violent criminals behind bars and to ensure the future belongs to America, not to China. If we win, America wins and that’s what it’s about,” Trump said.

Trump won Michigan in 2016 by a thin margin of just 10,704 votes—0.3 percent—over his then-rival Hillary Clinton.

In Michigan on Thursday, Trump expressed hopes for a larger victory in the battleground state in the upcoming November election and told the crowd they face a clear choice as he highlighted the drastic differences between his and Biden’s policy stances on various issues.

“At no time before has there been a clearer choice between two parties, two visions, two philosophies, and two agendas for the future. There’s never been a vision like this,” Trump said.

Correction: The previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Trump’s action on price transparency would only take place if he is re-elected. This article has been updated. The Epoch Times regrets the error.