MIAMI (AP) -- A hospital that sent a seriously brain injured illegal immigrant back to Guatemala - over the objections of his family and legal guardian - did not act unreasonably, a jury found Monday. Under a federal law called EMTALA, hospitals that receive Medicare reimbursements are required to provide emergency care to all patients regardless of their ability to pay and must provide an acceptable discharge plan once the patient is stabilized. But the hospital couldn't find anyone in the US to take the patient. Eventually, backed by a letter from the Guatemalan government, the hospital got a Florida judge to OK the transfer to a facility in that country. The patient is now living with his mother in Guatemala.
My impression of the Florida electorate just went up a few notches
So the family and legal guardian couldn't take the patient here in the U.S., but they managed to sue. |