Thursday, January 07, 2010

Jackson Health System halts dialysis for poor patients

I don't even know where to begin with this...


Dozens of patients are facing a life-or-death situation after Jackson Health System stopped paying for treatment for their failing kidneys.

The financially strapped Jackson Health System has stopped paying for dialysis treatments for 175 poor patients with failing kidneys -- a decision that experts say could be deadly.

``It is no game,'' says Emelina GarcĂ­a CordovĂ­, 67, whose treatments at a South Miami-Dade center were cut off Dec. 31. ``We are talking of the lives of persons who depend exclusively on their dialysis.''

Jackson, Miami-Dade's government health system intended to be a safety net for the poor and uninsured, said it expects to save $4.2 million by stopping payments for outpatient dialysis treatment for the 175 patients. Of those, other avenues for care have been found for all but 41, says spokesman Robert Alonso. About a third of those are undocumented immigrants, who are not eligible for government programs.


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