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Orlando Shooting Survivors to Have Medical Bills Forgiven


This photo taken July 11, 2016, shows visitors taking photos and leaving items at a makeshift memorial outside the Pulse nightclub, the day before the one month anniversary of a mass shooting, in Orlando, Fla.
This photo taken July 11, 2016, shows visitors taking photos and leaving items at a makeshift memorial outside the Pulse nightclub, the day before the one month anniversary of a mass shooting, in Orlando, Fla.

Two hospitals that treated the victims of a deadly shooting rampage at a Florida nightclub in June say they will not bill the survivors for the cost of their treatment.

Fifty-three people were wounded in the June 12 shooting at Orlando's Pulse nightclub that left 49 people dead, making it the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

The parent company of Orlando Regional Medical Center, located not far from Pulse nightclub, said Wednesday it will seek reimbursement from the health insurers of 44 victims it treated, but will forgive any other costs not covered under their policies. The company also said it will not charge the families of the nine people who died at Orlando Regional.

Florida Hospital, which treated 12 of the wounded club goers, say they will not seek any money from the victims or their insurers.

The total costs of un-reimbursed care for the two hospitals is likely to exceed $5.5 million.

The gunman, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, was killed by police after a three-hour standoff. Authorities say he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terror group when he called Orlando's 911 emergency line during the siege.

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