By JEFF AMY, GEOFF MULVIHILL and SUDIN THANAWALA. Updated 4:19 PM EDT, May 15, 2025
ATLANTA (AP) — A pregnant woman in Georgia was declared brain-dead after a medical emergency and doctors have kept her on life support for three months so far to allow enough time for the baby to be born and comply with Georgia’s strict anti-abortion law, family members say.
So this is horrible and stupid. But also, who pays for this? Does the family get forced to eat millions in ICU bills? Does the hospital just eat it? Does it get covered by Medicare, which they’re actively trying to erase?
Of course they do. This is America.
A different article I read quoted the mother of the victim stating the family had to cover costs. There’s been no comment from the hospital AFAIK. If the state itself had stepped in and said you can’t pull this patient off life support they’d be covering the bill. From what I can tell though it was the hospitals decision to make sure they stayed within the heart-beat law.
It’s not even a question in this country. You will be bankrupted.
I agree that it’s the most likely scenario, just wanted to state the facts as I know them.
Yeah was worried this was the case. Seems insane though that they can make that decision and then force the family to take liability for the cost. Hopefully they will have some sort of recourse—I don’t know exactly but I’m pretty sure long term life support ain’t cheap.