A woman needing a lung transplant has died after her family says they tried to have her transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital and were denied.
The family of 38-year-old Maria Huaman tells the Miami Herald hospital officials denied her transfer first because they believed she was an undocumented immigrant, then because she was uninsured and ultimately because she was too ill to move.
Medical records show Huaman had accidentally drank from a cup containing weed killer the day before going to West Kendall Baptist Hospital in mid-December. She was admitted with kidney failure, abdominal pain and other symptoms.
Social workers tried to transfer Huaman to Jackson Memorial so she could receive a lung transplant. Huaman's family says Jackson Health requested a $350,000 deposit for her admittance. She died Wednesday.
Jackson Memorial wouldn't comment, citing patient privacy laws.
