Two hospitals
in the Orlando, Florida, area who treated victims of the Pulse nightclub
massacre announced Wednesday that they would not bill victims of the mass
shooting for the medical expenses incurred following the attack.
A total of 49
people, most of them queer people of color, died and an another 53 were injured
when Omar Mateen opened fire on June 12 in the
worst mass shooting in American history. Orlando Health, parent corporation
of one of the hospitals in question ― Orlando Regional Medical Center ― said
in a statement to ABC on Wednesday, “Orlando Health has not sent any
hospital or medical bills directly to Pulse patients and we don’t intend to
pursue reimbursement of medical costs from them.”
According
to Orlando Sentinel, the medical costs being forgiven by the health care
network total an estimated $5.5 million.
“The pulse
shooting was a horrendous tragedy for the victims, their families and our
entire community,” Orlando Health President and CEO David
Strong stated. “During this very trying time, many organizations,
individuals and charities have reached out to Orlando Health to show their support.
This is simply our way of paying that kindness forward.”
Florida
Hospital reportedly
stated that it will not seek any compensation for medical expenses
occurred from the victims, while Orlando Regional Medical Center, which
treated 44 of the victims, will turn to state and federal funds for
reimbursement.
Orlando Health reportedly said the network is, “exploring numerous options
to help the victims of the Pulse nightclub tragedy address immediate and
ongoing medical costs. These include state and federal funds, private
insurance, victim funds like the One Orlando fund, disability insurance,
Florida’s crime victim compensation program, funding sources established for
individual victims, means-tested programs like Medicaid, as well as charity
care provided by Orlando Health.”
The medical
expense forgiveness displayed by Orlando Health is just one of many incredible
displays of solidarity and support for the LGBT community of Orlando, Florida
in the months since the attack on Pulse nightclub. onePULSE Foundation, a
non-profit founded in wake of the tragedy, plans
to turn the nightclub itself into a memorial site, having held
a star-studded fundraiser in Hollywood last Friday.
Want more
information on how to help the friends and families of victims of the Pulse
massacre? Head here.
CORRECTION: An
earlier version of this story misidentified Orlando Health as the parent
corporation of Florida Hospital. This has been corrected.
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