Orlando Health and Florida Hospital will not be sending bills to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

  • Orlando Health, Florida Hospital won't bills Pulse victims
  • Orlando Health said costs could exceed $5 million
  • 49 people were killed in the June 12, 2016, attack

Both hospital groups said Wednesday that the survivors who received medical treatment will not have to pay for their medical expenses. Orlando Health's total unpaid costs could exceed $5 million, officials said.

Florida Hospital treated 12 of the Pulse shooting victims, and their total billable amount is about $525,400.
 
"It was incredible to see how our community came together in the wake of the senseless Pulse shooting," Florida Hospital President and CEO Daryl Tol said via email. "We hope this gesture can add to the heart and goodwill that defines Orlando."

David Strong, president and CEO of Orlando Health, added the following statement via email: "The Pulse shooting was a horrendous tragedy for the victims, their families, and our entire community. 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."

Meanwhile, Brandon Taylor is selling T-shirts to help those affected by the Pulse tragedy.

"I'm so relieved that that money isn't going to pay health bills," said Taylor, the co-founder of 1Heart1Pulse. "I'm so relieved that the victims and the families are actually going to get that money and be able to use that money to recover."

Kenneth Feinberg, the OneOrlando Fund administrator, said the gesture by both hospitals is "an extraordinary example of community commitment."

"Clearly every dollar that is no longer necessary to reimburse the hospitals is a dollar that is kept by the eligible claimant, and I just think it's just very good news," Feinberg said.

Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who worked for many years as a health care executive tweeted the following: 


For Taylor, knowing $5.5 million in medical bills are being forgiven makes fundraising even more rewarding.

"But now, knowing that the bills are getting paid, it's definitely a lot more comforting knowing that they're directly benefiting from it, more so that the hospitals are," Taylor said.

"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," said Sabrina Childress, a spokeswoman for Orlando Health.

To help victims with their immediate and ongoing medical costs, Orlando Health said it will look at other options.

"These include state and federal funds, private insurance, victim funds like the OneOrlando 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," Childress said in a statement.

Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando Health's main hospital, treated 44 victims from the June 12 attack.

A total of 49 people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside Pulse nightclub.