He wasn’t playing the good Samaritan for the first time. In writing off their $14,000 in unpaid hospital bills, Tyler Perry rescued a struggling family in Atlanta. The assets of the 50-year-old filmmaker saved the two Americans who had not been allowed to leave a Mexican clinic until the tab had been paid.
Stephen went into diabetic shock during the flight, according to WSBTV from Atlanta.
He was rushed to a hospital in Progreso, Mexico, where after being diagnosed with pancreatitis, diabetes and kidney infection, he spent three days in the intensive care unit.But once Johnson was stable, the facility allegedly refused to allow him and Austin to quit unless they settled the multi-day stay of their $14,000 charge.
‘ I like them to save my freedom, yet they can’t hold me hostage, ‘ Johnson said. ‘ It’s not correct. ‘
Enter Perry from Tyler. The Madea star heard about the couple’s GoFundMe, which by Saturday had raised just over $1,000. He reportedly called the hospital and tried to give them his credit card information to pay the bill in full. The hospital balked, however, and demanded that he send the funds through wire transfer, which should arrive by Monday.
Wire transfers can send the money faster than simply charging a credit card, and they are not reversible, so payment can’t be cancelled at the last minute.
Health insurance is reportedly lacking in ohnson. Many U.S. health insurance plans do not cover clients abroad, although it is possible to purchase expensive short-term plans for travel. In their attempts to leave, Johnson and Austin were stymied by difficulties accessing a transfer of money from the Western Union and a lack of working ATMs in the city.
The pair offered to pay part of the bill, but requested from the hospital
