A Medicaid Patient Had a Heart Attack While Traveling. He Owed Almost $78,000.

A Medicaid patient had a heart attack while traveling in Rapid City. He owed almost $78,000.

On Christmas Day at the WaTiki indoor water park, Hans Wirt was getting winded from following his son up the stairs to the waterslides. Wirt’s breathing became more labored once they returned to the nearby hotel where they and Wirt’s girlfriend were staying while visiting family in Rapid City, South Dakota. Then he grew nauseated and went pale. Wirt thought the cause might have been the altitude change between his home in Deltona, Florida — 33 f…

Hans Wirt, 62, was the victim of a heart attack in South Dakota. But he lives in Florida, where he is affiliated with the US Medicaid public health program.

A Medicaid patient had a heart attack while traveling in SD. He owed almost $78,000.

Hans Wirt of Deltona, Florida, had a heart attack while visiting relatives in South Dakota. The hospital that treated Wirt declined to send the bill to his Florida Medicaid plan, leaving him on the hook for almost $78,000. (Jacob Langston for KFF Health News)On Christmas Day at the WaTiki indoor water park, Hans Wirt was getting winded from following his son up the stairs to the waterslides. Wirt’s breathing became more labored once they returne…

Medicaid patient owed almost $78,000 after having a heart attack while traveling

On Christmas Day at the WaTiki indoor water park, Hans Wirt was getting winded from following his son up the stairs to the waterslides.Wirt’s breathing became more labored once they returned to the nearby hotel where they and Wirt’s girlfriend were staying while visiting family in Rapid City, South Dakota.Then he grew nauseated and went pale. Wirt thought the cause might have been the altitude change between his home in Deltona, Florida — 33 fee…

A Medicaid Patient Had a Heart Attack While Traveling. He Owed Almost $78,000.

On Christmas Day at the WaTiki indoor water park, Hans Wirt was getting winded from following his son up the stairs to the waterslides. Wirt’s breathing became more labored once they returned to the nearby hotel where they and Wirt’s girlfriend were staying while visiting family in Rapid City, South Dakota. Then he grew nauseated and went pale. Wirt thought the cause might have been the altitude change between his home in Deltona, Florida — 33 f…