Medical bills can be expensive and stressful — especially when the bill is much higher than one anticipated. One Kansas lawmaker has a plan to help prevent these surprise medical bills.

This week, Senator Richard Hilderbrand (R-Galena) has proposed two bills — one for insured patients and one for uninsured patients.

Each bill would require medical providers to give patients a breakdown of costs before receiving treatment — if the patient asks.

Hilderbrand says this gives patients the ability to compare costs with other providers and budget or plan ahead as needed. “It’s just like when you go in anywhere else, you can look up at McDonald’s and see a menu, you know
what a big mac is going to cost…”

(Read more: KSN-TV)