By Nicole C. Brambila | SOURCE: DENVER GAZETTE
Denver Health — the city’s hospital safety net — has seen a 700% increase across its health system in patients from South and Central America over the past 14 months.
The rise in patients coincides with — and health officials attribute to — the unprecedented numbers of immigrants, who have crossed America’s border illegally, coming to Denver.
The lion share of these new patients are from Venezuela.
“Overall, these patients don’t have medical insurance,” said Dr. Taylor McCormick, associate director of Pediatrics Emergency Medicine at Denver Health. “Denver Health is eating the cost for many of these visits.”
Denver Health does not track — nor does it ask — the immigration status of its patients.