Story at a glance
- Cookeville Regional Medical Center in Tennessee won’t require payment from patients affected by last week’s tornadoes.
- The hospital reported treating 82 patients.
- President Trump toured the affected areas with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee last Friday.
After Nashville and surrounding parts of central Tennessee were hit by a series of severe tornadoes, a local hospital declared that it won’t charge any medical fees for patients who were affected by last week’s storms.
The hospital, Cookeville Regional Medical Center, was profiled in ABC News after its announcement. Hospital spokeswoman Melahn Finley told reporters that Cookeville Regional “will bill each patient’s insurance company and accept the insurance’s payment as payment in full” and thereby require no copays from patients.
“We will not bill patients for the remaining portion after insurance,” she told ABC. “If they don’t have insurance, they will not be charged.”
At least 24 people have been killed by the tornadoes, and the hospital spokeswoman said that 82 people had come in seeking treatment from weather-related injuries. Around 385 residential homes and an additional 184 commercial buildings were reportedly severely damage.
Local ABC News said that as of Saturday night, 9,700 households still did not have power, the majority of which are located in Davidson County, which includes the city of Nashville.
President Trump visited the affected areas last Friday, meeting with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.
Maria and I spent the afternoon in North Nashville visiting our first responders & local volunteers who have worked this week to support each other & jumpstart recovery. #TennesseeStrong pic.twitter.com/fiOHNdNyB5
— Governor Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) March 8, 2020
In a news conference, Trump offered his condolences to the residents who lost loved ones during the storms.
“I have a message for the families of those that lost their lives: We love them. They’re special people. It’s an incredible place — incredible state, tremendous heart,” Trump said, according to NPR. “Already you see people rebuilding.”
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