A new Texas law aims to protect patients like Drew Calver, pictured here with his wife, Erin, and daughters, Eleanor (left) and Emory, in their Austin, Texas, home. After being treated for a heart attack in April 2017, Calver, a high school history teacher, got a surprise medical bill for $108,951. Callie Richmond for KHN hide caption
Liv Cannon and her fiancé, Cole Chiumento, considered calling off their wedding because of uncertainty over medical debt from her surgery. "I think about it every time I go to the mailbox," Cannon says. Julia Robinson for Kaiser Health News hide caption
Charges for nitrous oxide during labor and delivery haven't been standardized. Courtesy of Kara Jo Prestrud, Birth Made Beautiful hide caption
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is co-sponsoring legislation with Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., to curtail surprise medical bills. Susan Walsh/AP hide caption
President Trump called for legislative action on surprise medical bills during a White House event Thursday. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption
Oakley Yoder walks with her parents, Josh Perry and Shelli Yoder, outside their home in Bloomington, Ind. Chris Bergin for KHN hide caption
After a sports injury, Esteban Serrano owed $829.41 for a knee brace purchased with insurance through his doctor's office. He says he found the same kind of brace selling for less than $250 online. Paula Andalo/Kaiser Health News hide caption
Jeannette Parker, an animal-loving biologist, stopped to feed a stray cat in a rural area outside Florida's Everglades National Park. Instead of showing appreciation, the cat bit her. Angel Valentín for KHN hide caption
First lady Melania Trump with 10-year-old Grace Eline, a guest of President Trump at the State of the Union address Tuesday. Grace was diagnosed with brain cancer last year. Trump cited her experience in calling for more research into childhood cancer treatments. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption
Austin, Texas, dentist Brad Buckingham received a bill for more than $70,000 after a bike accident landed him in the hospital and he needed emergency hip surgery. Gabriel C. Pérez/KUT hide caption
"There does seem to be across-the-board understanding that what's happening to patients right now isn't right or fair," Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said about surprise medical bills. Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images hide caption
Dr. Paul Davis, whose daughter, Elizabeth Moreno, was billed $17,850 for a urine test and featured in KHN-NPR's Bill of the Month series, was among the guests invited to the White House on Wednesday to discuss surprise medical bills with President Trump. Julia Robinson for KHN hide caption
Sarah Witter had two operations to repair bones in her lower left leg after a skiing accident last February. The second surgery was needed to replace a stabilizing plate that broke. Matt Baldelli for KHN hide caption
Sarah Witter fractured two bones in her lower left leg while skiing in Vermont last February. She had two operations to repair the damage. The second surgery was needed to replace a metal plate that broke after it was implanted. Matt Baldelli for KHN hide caption
Janet Winston stands in her rose garden in Eureka, Calif. Testing revealed she is allergic to numerous substances, including linalool. Winston still can handle roses, which contain linalool, but she can't wear perfumes and cosmetic products that contain the compound. Alexandra Hootnick hide caption
"The biggest challenge for me was to see how I would be a father again," says Dr. Naveed Khan, who was injured while driving an all-terrain vehicle. "With two able-bodied parents at home, it was easier." Shelby Knowles for NPR hide caption