Indiana woman held by Cancún hospital for $53k bill

An elderly woman from Lafayette, Ind., was treated for a blocked artery at a hospital in Cancún, Mexico. Now, her family claims the hospital won't let her leave until she pays a large portion of her $53,000 bill, according to the Indy Star.

Mo and Dixie Stinson recently traveled to Cancún for their granddaughter's wedding. When Ms. Stinson collapsed and lost consciousness Monday, she was transported to Amerimed Cancún Hospital.

Ms. Stinson had a 99 percent blockage of an artery, and her family was forced by the hospital to pay $25,000 before she could receive treatment, Ms. Stinson's son-in-law told the Indy Star. A second blockage was discovered, and the hospital demanded $30,000 upfront before the second operation.

Both operations were successful, but Ms. Stinson's daughter told the Indy Star that the hospital refuses to release her mother until $40,000 is paid toward her bill, which had climbed to $53,000 as of Thursday evening. If the family doesn't come up with the $40,000, hospital administrators said they would have Ms. Stinson's husband arrested. As the family tries to gather the funds, the hospital bill continues to climb. 

Amerimed Cancún Hospital is part of Amerimed Hospitales, a chain of private hospitals throughout Mexico. Two of the system's facilities in Los Cabos were closed down by Mexican officials earlier this year due to predatory business practices and billing, according to the report.

A spokesperson for the American Consulate in Mérida, Mexico, told the Indy Star that by law the hospital cannot stop Ms. Stinson or her husband from leaving the hospital due to the unpaid bill.

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