By Camie Young
Senior Writer

LAWRENCEVILLE - Legislators were dismayed to learn Monday that the hospital trying to thwart Gwinnett Medical Center's attempt to begin an open-heart surgery program recently refused the transfer of a patient in need of the operation.

Phillip Wolfe, the president of the Lawrenceville hospital, said his staff had to report Emory University hospital officials for the refusal, which is illegal when the treatment is available, after the hospital learned that the patient was self-insured.

"No one should ever be refused care because of insurance," cardiologist Manfred Sandler said, when testifying before local legislators.

"It's all to do with greed and politics. It's nothing to do with quality," he added about the group's lawsuit to stop the hospital's approval to offer open-heart surgery.

Click here to view this article online from the September 14, 2009 Gwinnett Daily Post.