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Victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting are receiving some much needed assistance from area hospitals, reports USA Today.
Orlando Regional Medial Center will not bill survivors for out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred from the June 12 attack.
Instead the President and CEO of Orlando Health, David Strong, says the hospital will absorb the costs of medical procedures not covered by insurers.
The hospital, which is mere blocks from the nightclub, treated 44 victims, nine of whom died in the hospital.
“The total cost for treatment and surgeries could exceed $5 million,” the hospital wrote in an official statement. They will rely on state and federal funds, private insurance, disability insurance, Florida’s crime victim compensation program and charities to cover this bill.
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“The Pulse shooting was a horrendous tragedy for the victims, their families and our entire community,” David Strong told the Orlando Sentinel.
“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.”
Another area hospital, Florida Hospital, says they don’t even plan to bill insurers.
Florida Hospital treated a dozen of the victims from the heinous shooting. They covered medical bills totaling $525,400, said Samantha Kearns O’Lenick, executive director of corporate communications at the hospital.