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A top White House policy adviser on Monday warned hospitals that they need to address the issue of surprise medical bills if they don’t want Congress to do it for them. “If hospitals, providers and issuers don’t protect these patients from financial harm, Congress and the administration will need to act,” said Joe Grogan, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. (Weixel, 3/4)

Pregnancy and childbirth can cost thousands of dollars, even when the doctors and services are covered by insurance. But surprise out-of-network bills add to the tab for many women, according to a study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Missouri Kansas City published in the March issue of Health Affairs. (Gantz, 3/4)

Kaiser Health News: This Time When My Water Breaks, Take Me To A Hospital Without Surprise Bills

When it comes to having a baby, that bundle of joy may bring an unexpected price tag that can affect parents’ future health care choices. At least that was the finding of a study published Monday in Health Affairs. It examined how consumers respond to surprise medical bills in elective — or non-emergency — situations. Specifically, researchers used a large national sample of medical claims for obstetric patients who had two deliveries between 2007 and 2014 and who had employer-sponsored health insurance. (Bluth, 3/4)