Florida Sen. Rubio's office intercedes on behalf of injured Florida man stuck in Colombia
MIAMI - U.S. Senator Marco Rubio's office jumped in to help a Florida father stuck in a Colombian hospital.
The family of Michael Clark, Jr. said an explosion burned most of his body last week.
One day after sharing his story and asking for help bringing Clark, Jr. home, he now needs a life support tool the hospital in Medellin, Colombia does not have, according to relatives. Rubio's staff sent the family a letter to share with and convince the Colombian hospital authorities to let Clark, Jr. leave the country in an air ambulance.
"I cried all day when I found out he was hurt," Arias Austin, Michael's niece said Thursday.
The San Vicente Fundacion Hospital would not release Clark until he paid them for treatment, Clark Jr.'s family said.
"We were told that he wouldn't be released until those bills were paid," Michelle Asbury, Michael's sister, said Thursday. "So he has medical insurance. It's just his medical insurance doesn't cover him in another country."
He and two friends flew to Colombia to celebrate one of the friends' 40th birthday. Clark, Jr. did not have travel insurance, his sister said.
A 2022 Lending Tree survey found that nearly half of Americans believe their health insurance covers them if they get sick or hurt traveling internationally.
"We hear a lot of stories, especially in our travel agency," Andre El Khouri, a spokesperson for AAA said. "Travel insurance is not only going to pay for your trip in case your trip gets canceled but also it's going to cover for medical payments."
Dan Durazo, Director of External Communications for Allianz agrees. His company sells travel policies including some offered through airline ticket sites.
Durazo said many medical treatment facilities abroad reject domestic health policies and sometimes hold patients' passports until someone pays the bill. Travel plans can cover five-figure hospital bills and six-figure evacuation fees, Durazo said.
"There's two parts to a medical emergency overseas," he said. "One is you may be in the hospital and need that care. But number two is how are you going to get home and we bring a lot of our customers home in air ambulances. Those are very expensive and hard to arrange."
Clark, Jr.'s family just wants Michael to get the best treatment possible at Jackson Memorial Hospital's burn unit in Miami. Though he and his family live in Orlando, Clark, Jr. grew up in South Florida and has relatives able to monitor his recovery.
The family still wants help bringing their loved one back to Florida.
On Friday, November 10, Ana Catalina Osorio López, spokesperson for San Vicente Fundacion Hospital released the following statement:
"Our Hospital has provided all the required medical care to the patient regardless of whether or not the patient has medical insurance in Colombia.
In the news it is indicated that the transfer has not been authorized for economic reasons, however such a transfer can not be made given the clinical criteria that prevails, according to the current clinical condition of the patient. When, according to medical criteria, a transfer can be authorized, the family will be able to manage the process with our accompaniment.
The person responsible for the patient, his wife, is permanently receiving information and accompaniment from our International Patient Office, Patient Experience, Social Work and the clinical team of sub-specialists and nurses. The patient's family and relatives, for the same principle of privacy, should receive the corresponding information through this designated responsible person.
We understand that in a situation like this and given the current circumstances there may be concerns, and we assure you that we are fully available to provide all the information to the patient and his family.
Likewise, we count on your support to make the pertinent rectifications. We will be attentive to resolve any concerns that we can address within the authorized framework."