A Texas man claims he and his boyfriend were extorted at a Tulum hospital, where his partner underwent surgery after being paralyzed in a surfing accident.
Justin Raiford and his boyfriend Jared Hill were vacationing in the Mexican resort town in February when a wave slammed Hill into the sand, fracturing three vertebrae in his neck.
Despite having traveler’s insurance, Raiford claimed hospital staff asked for thousands of dollars to be paid in advance before admitting him to the medical center and performing surgery.
He never felt that a country visited by millions of Americans would turn its back on them.
“Tulum is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, and in a critical, life-threatening situation, you can’t get help even from the government,” Raiford said. ‘I called the embassy and consulate, they told me, ‘sorry, that’s how it is in Mexico.’
Jared Hill, pictured in hospital, was left paralyzed after being hit by a wave while surfing while on holiday in Tulum, Mexico, in February.
Jared Hill (in the photo) was charged $5,000 for being admitted to a hospital in Tulum and $20,000 for a third medical center, where he underwent surgery after fracturing three vertebrae in his neck.
Justin Raiford claims medical facilities in the Mexican resort town of Tulum extorted them by charging them thousands of dollars in advance to provide emergency service to his boyfriend, who was paralyzed in a surfing accident in February. Raiford said they had to pay $5,000 for one hospital to admit his partner and more than $20,000 for the surgery at another facility.
“Being held for ransom, undergoing life-saving surgery that the neurosurgeon said was necessary or he was going to die,” he told host Natasha Zouves on NewsNation. “That you’re in a hospital with people who you think are there to help you and save lives and that wasn’t happening.”
In order to take Hill to the hospital, Raiford had to pay $5,000 before tests showed Hill was bleeding internally, had a perforated spinal cord and nerve damage.
Things got worse when Hill showed Raiford a text message in which the hospital director said, “I’m canceling the surgery, I’m taking money from you.”
Raiford said staff at the same hospital told an American woman on her honeymoon that she would have to pay $50,000 upfront to put her husband on dialysis “because his kidneys and heart were failing.”
Ultimately, the 12-hour surgery took place two days later at a third hospital where Raiford and Hill paid more than $20,000 to cover the cost of the procedure.
“You can’t imagine that in situations like this, every ounce of me was just trying to save his life and get help and think in a time of such critical need for medical help that could even arise, and I’m not talking about a copay or insurance or something, it’s literally ransom money.
In order to take Hill to hospital, Raiford (pictured with his partner before the ordeal) had to pay $5,000 before tests showed Hill was bleeding internally, had a perforated spinal cord and nerve damage.
Justin Raiford (right) saw Jared Hill (left) in the water after the wave crashed, pushing him to the sand and breaking three vertebrae in his neck.
Jared Hill, pictured with his care team, was flown to Memorial Hermann Medical Center in Houston nearly a week after his surfing accident in Tulum.
Hill was flown back to Houston nearly a week after the operation and admitted to Memorial Hermann Medical Center in Houston, where the couple learned he would need another spinal surgery and would likely be hospitalized for several months.
He was treated for blood clots and meningitis, but is now recovering.
“People here have changed their lives dramatically and I’m happy to say it’s one of the extreme cases where most people don’t get the result that he has,” Raiford said.
“He is regaining some mobility and works with occupational therapists and physical therapists every day to try to improve his chances of recovery.”
While Raiford feels the Tulum hospital took advantage of the Hill tragedy, the private Tulum medical center did nothing illegal and is asking for upfront payment, according to Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent.
Eligible residents and citizens receive free medical care through the Mexican Social Security Institute.
‘This is not extortion. This is not a bribe. This is how Mexico does business,’ Walder told NewsNation.
‘However, there are private hospitals. The way they do business is by asking for payment upfront.”