A stage 4 breast cancer patient is claiming that Richmond, Va.-based VCU Health only agreed to let her transfer her treatment to its cancer center after she posted on Facebook about being rejected as a patient, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
As COVID-19 spread across New York City, where stage 4 metastatic breast cancer patient Reilly Starr lives, she started to feel uncomfortable about staying in the city. Ms. Starr, who has a 2-year-old son, told the Times-Dispatch that she didn't want her nanny coming over after riding the subway through the city, where there were 3,954 confirmed COVID-19 cases, as of 5:30 p.m. ET, March 19.
Ms. Starr decided she, her husband and son should move to Richmond, where she grew up. She wanted to transfer her cancer care to the VCU Massey Cancer Center in Richmond. But a patient coordinator told her she was being rejected as a patient because she was moving from an area with a COVID-19 outbreak.
Ms. Starr posted on Facebook March 17, saying she was "appalled."
"Imagine if our country's hospitals all respond this way to cancer (or any other kind of severe health condition) patients looking to relocate to safer areas?" she posted.
Soon after, Ms. Starr started receiving calls from VCU Health. The health system apologized and said she could transfer her care provided she self-quarantine for two weeks after leaving New York City.
In a statement obtained by the Times-Dispatch, VCU Health said its policy forbids turning away patients. The health system is screening all transfer patients for COVID-19 risk factors, but will accept all patients, regardless of coronavirus test results, according to the report.