Doctor Refuses to Treat Black Man’s Daughter Because He thought the man had no money to pay — The next day, he lost his job.
It was a rainy Thursday afternoon in downtown Chicago when Marcus Turner rushed through the sliding glass doors of Riverside Children’s Hospital, his seven-year-old daughter, Amira, clinging to his hand. She had been coughing nonstop since last night, her face pale and her little chest rising and falling with visible effort. Marcus, dressed in a simple gray hoodie and worn jeans, looked like any worried father—exhausted, anxious, and desperate for help.
The waiting room was crowded, but Marcus went straight to the reception desk. “My daughter needs to see a doctor, please. She’s having trouble breathing,” he said, his voice cracking slightly.
The receptionist typed quickly, gave him a clipboard, and nodded. “Take a seat. Someone will be with you soon.”
Marcus sat down, holding Amira close. She leaned against him, wheezing softly. Around them, other parents scrolled through phones or whispered to their children, but Marcus could only focus on Amira’s shallow breaths.
After what felt like forever, a nurse finally called Amira’s name. Marcus stood, carrying his daughter into an exam room. A few minutes later, Dr. Steven Collins, a middle-aged pediatrician with neatly combed blond hair, walked in. He glanced at Marcus, then at Amira.
“What seems to be the problem?” Dr. Collins asked, though his tone carried more impatience than concern.
“She’s been coughing all night,” Marcus explained quickly. “Her breathing’s getting worse. Please, she needs help.”
The doctor frowned, glancing at Marcus’s hoodie and sneakers. “And do you have insurance?” he asked flatly.
Marcus hesitated. He had excellent insurance through his company, but the abruptness of the question caught him off guard. “Yes, of course. But right now she just—”
Dr. Collins raised a hand, cutting him off. “Look, these treatments can get expensive. If you can’t pay, there’s really only so much we can do here. Maybe try one of the free clinics downtown.”
Marcus blinked, stunned. “What? She’s struggling to breathe, and you’re telling me to go somewhere else?”
Collins shrugged, his eyes cool. “We see this a lot. People come in without coverage, expecting miracles. I’m just being honest with you.”
Amira coughed hard, clutching her chest, and Marcus’s face tightened with anger. “I said I have insurance. That shouldn’t even matter—you’re a doctor. She needs you.”
But Collins barely moved closer. “I don’t want to waste resources if this can’t be handled properly,” he muttered, writing something half-heartedly on his clipboard.
Marcus stood in silence, disbelief churning inside him. He had walked into this hospital expecting care for his daughter. Instead, he was staring at a man who saw only the color of his skin and the clothes on his back, not the terrified father begging for help…To be continued in C0mments 👇