Orlando hospitals will pay Pulse shooting victims' medical bills

The Orlando, Fla., hospitals that treated the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in June will cover all of their out-of-pocket medical bills.

Orlando Health, which includes Orlando Regional Medical Center, one of the two emergency departments closest to the mass shooting, estimates it will swallow more than $5 million worth of unreimbursed medical care. Orlando Regional and Florida Hospital treated dozens of victims who were either killed or injured in the June 12 shootings.

Orlando Regional, a Level 1 trauma center just blocks away from the nightclub, treated 44 victims. Florida Hospital treated 12 victims.

Florida Hospital declined to bill the victims' insurance and will cover all costs of care. The hospital estimates that will cost $525,400, a spokeswoman said.

Orlando Health has looked to state and federal funds, private insurance, disability insurance, Florida's crime victim compensation program and charity care to help its patients, spokeswoman Kena Lewis said.

—Maria Castellucci

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin submitted a waiver request to the CMS outlining a conservative vision of Medicaid expansion that includes requirements for most beneficiaries to participate in job training or community service.

The waiver is similar to one used by Indiana, which the CMS is analyzing to see if it has been harmful to beneficiaries.

Kentucky Health would require able-bodied adults without dependents to participate in job training and community engagement such as volunteer work to remain eligible. The hours required would increase with the months of eligibility, reaching 20 hours per week after one year.

The waiver request outlines a program that would require monthly premiums ranging from $1 to $15 and includes two health savings accounts. One is for the $1,000 deductible, and the other is a rewards account that could be used for dental and vision services as well as some over-the-counter medicines and gym memberships. Those who are above the poverty level and miss two months of payments would be disenrolled from the program and required to sit out for six months. Those below the poverty level would pay copays and will have their rewards accounts suspended after 60 days of nonpayment. There are options for early re-entry if the debt is paid and the beneficiary takes a financial or health literacy course.

The proposal claims the current Medicaid expansion is unsustainable and is not resulting in better health outcomes. It estimates a savings of $2.2 billion over the five-year waiver period.

—Shannon Muchmore