Pulse Nightclub victims will not be charged for medical bills

In one of the biggest acts of kindness of the year, Orlando Health and Florida Hospital will not bill survivors of the Pulse nightclub massacre for out-of-pocket medical expenses, officials announced Wednesday.

But rather, the hospital will write off $5.5 million — or more — in care.

“The pulse shooting was a horrendous tragedy for the victims, their families and our entire community,” Orlando Health President and CEO David Strong said. “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.”

The Orlando Regional Medical Center, which treated 44 of the more than 50 victims who needed immediate medical attention on June 12, is only a couple blocks from the nightclub and houses a Level 1 trauma center.

At Orlando Health, bills will be sent to health insurers for patients who had coverage, but whatever those policies don’t cover will be absorbed by the hospital chain, said spokeswoman Kena Lewis.

This generous, beautiful gesture will also extend to the families of nine Pulse patients who died after arriving at the hospital.

At Florida Hospital, which treated a dozen of the victims, the kindness will extend to their insurance companies as well. Nor will they bill the victims for follow-up surgeries the survivors may need.

“It was incredible to see how our community came together in the wake of the senseless Pulse shooting,” Daryl Tol, Florida Hospital’s president and CEO told Orlando Sentinel. “We hope this gesture can add to the heart and goodwill that defines Orlando.”

Orlando Health will work closely with the victims on future surgeries or visits, Lewis said.

“We can’t predict the future needs of these patients, their financial situations or what the state or federal governments may require us to do for charity policies,” she said. “While we can’t assume the answer is free care forever, we will use our very generous charity and financial assistance policies to assess the best way to help.”