When an Iowa man suffered a stroke in Mexico, the process to treat him was complicated and expensive
By Marcus McIntosh
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — For Rodney White’s family, Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines is a far cry from the hospital in Mexico that demanded tens of thousands of dollars before treating him after he suffered a stroke.
White first went to a Cancun hospital Monday night on Feb. 13. That is when the demand for money first started – an estimated $16,000 for treatment and an overnight stay.
Less than 24 hours later, there was a diagnosis.
“By Tuesday night, the doctors were able to do enough tests and confirmed he had a stroke,” said Rodney’s wife, Tina.
Wednesday afternoon, Tina was in Cancun. The demands intensified.
“It was them following my mother all around through all hours of day and night saying, ‘We cannot treat him. We will take him to a state hospital if you do not have the money,’” recalled Rodney’s daughter, Rebecca.
Tina thought her bases were covered
“I had purchased travel insurance for Rodney for his trip,” Tina said. “His company he works for purchased travel insurance. And it really didn’t matter.”
Tina and Rodney were able to get on a plane and get back to Des Moines Friday afternoon.
“I have never been more thankful to be home,” Tina said.
The total cost for the trip came in at about $140,000.
Most of that amount covered by Rodney’s boss at Bing Bang.
“If Brandon hadn’t come through and said, ‘Just get them out now. I will pay for air ambulance. I don’t know how we would have done it,” Tina said.
Tina says the constant badgering for money may have cost her husband critical time.
“When you have a stroke, the critical time for treatment opportunities is in those first hours to maybe 48 hours,” Tina said. “And we lost that time window with my husband.”
She knows the road to recovery is going long road.
“There will be intensive rehab, who knows for how long,” Tina said. “Who knows what the outcome will be. Nobody does”
Regardless, Tina is happy it will happen at home at Iowa Methodist Medical Center.
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