CNN Opinion: Fat Joe is taking on a big problem in health care

Fat Joe, an ambassador for Power to the Patients, recently spoke with CNN about his fight for a more equitable healthcare system through for hospital price transparency. 

Read excerpts from his Q&A: 

“CNN: In your advocacy work for health care price transparency, you’ve talked about your community in the Bronx. Can you tell me how this issue has impacted your community?

Fat Joe: In the Bronx, you have women working two, three jobs, men working two, three jobs, and unfortunately the hospital bills are so high that people become scared to go to the hospital.

And it ain’t just being afraid of the prices. It’s wanting to know what the prices are. I wanna know how much a hospital is charging me for an MRI because I might wanna go to the hospital down the block who’s charging me $2,000 less for the same exact MRI.  Every other business –  Burger King, McDonald’s, Baskin-Robbins, Carvel – has competition. The only place that doesn’t, and where they don’t present you with the prices, is the hospital.

At the end of the day, I come from a community of people who championed me and stood by my side and helped me get to where I am. And so I gotta always think of them and be conscious of the voiceless. It’s about my community. It’s about helping people.”

Click here to read the complete Q&A.