Orlando Hospitals Are Covering the Medical Bills for Pulse Shooting Victims
Survivors of the horrific mass shooting at Orlando's Pulse nightclub last June will not be billed for any of the medical care they received following the attack.
Both Orlando Regional Medical Center and Florida Hospital, which treated the majority of the victims of the attack, announced Thursday they would seek payment for the estimated $5.5 million in services through other means, including insurance plans and the victims' fund established earlier this summer.
"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," a statement from Orlando Regional's parent network said, according to People. "We are exploring numerous options to help the victims of the Pulse nightclub tragedy address immediate and ongoing medical costs."
A Florida Hospital representative issued a similar statement Thursday, confirming they, too, would be following suit and not charging Pulse patients for out-of-pocket expenses.
"It was incredible to see how our community came together in the wake of the senseless Pulse shooting," Florida Health president Daryl Tol told the Washington Post. "We hope this gesture can add to the heart and goodwill that defines Orlando."
The massacre at Pulse was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, killing 49 people and injuring over 50 more. One of the survivors, Angel Colon, just took his first steps on his own since the attack, where he was shot six times and trampled on the ground.
Additional reporting from the Associated Press.
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