Pro tip for people without health insurance looking to cash in on thousands and thousands of dollars in medical treatment: tell the good medical folks at the hospital that you’re a gen-yoo-ine celebrity. Then they’ll do it for free! No questions asked. Literally no questions asked, apparently, in the case of this Minnesota man who strolled into a St. Cloud hospital and told everyone that he was Pink Floyd guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour. To which they apparently replied something like, “Oh, hey, cool. Loved Dark Side of the Moon. Come on in and take advantage of our services, on the house!”

This man was in Pink Floyd / WENN.com

Um, what? According to this story in the St. Cloud Times, 53-year-old Phillip Michael Schaeffer racked up $100,000 in undisclosed treatment at the hospital — and signed an autograph for an employee’s son — all because he told them he was David Gilmour. Eventually, someone on the crack team became suspicious about why David Gilmour might be at a hospital, ID-less and health insurance-less (in Minne-freaking-sota no less) and decided to look further into the matter:  “So our security supervisor pulled up the security camera shots of when this man entered the hospital and compared them to pictures on the Internet of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and determined he was not David Gilmour.” That’s some expert sleuthing!

Schaeffer was later arrested when he returned to the scene of the crime and tried to present some phony insurance papers, whereupon another staffer thought that his accent seemed suspect. All of this is hilarious.

We’re planning on trying this out should we ever find ourselves in, say, a jewelry store in St. Cloud. “Hi, we’re Beyonce and we need all your diamonds, please thanks. Baiii!”

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At least 125 people were being treated at Boston hospitals Monday night, including more than a dozen who were critically hurt, after a pair of explosions near the Boston Marathon finish line.

Three people were killed, according to Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis. One of them was reportedly an eight-year-old boy.

Massachusetts General Hospital was treating 29 patients. Eight of them were in critical condition, including four who suffered “traumatic amputations of their legs,” according to Dr. Alasdir Conn, Chief of Emergency Services. 

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Conn described the other patients as mostly “the walking wounded,” although some are being monitored for possible internal injuries.

The hospital activated its emergency disaster plan, with all available staff called in and all elective surgeries cancelled.

Psychologists and social workers are available to assist patients and their families. Conn said people who were concerned that a loved one was hurt should contact the hospital’s main switchboard at 617-726-2000.

They included a two-year-old boy with a head injury who was in the medical/surgical intensive care unit and a nine-year-old girl with leg trauma who was in surgery.

Boston Medical Center was treating 23 patients, most with lower leg injuries, according to a statement. Seven were listed in fair condition and 16 in serious condition.

28 patients were taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, including two in critical condition and at least eight in serious condition. A hospital statement said nine people had surgery, among them two patients with “injuries that are potentially limb-threatening.”

Tufts Medical Center is currently treating nine patients from the explosion, and St. Elizabeth’s had 21 patients.

Police SWAT teams could be seen patrolling several Boston hospitals as a precaution. Investigators were examining victims’ clothing for possible evidence.

A Boston University student was among those critically hurt, according to a letter from BU President Robert Brown. The student’s identity was not made public.

Within the last few years, the MGH Emergency Department received training from Israeli authorities on how to deal with injuries from bomb blasts.

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Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection, the government said Thursday morning.

A statement said the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader was admitted shortly before midnight. It gave no further details other than to say he was receiving the “best possible expert medical treatment and comfort”.

Mandela was admitted briefly to hospital earlier this month for a checkup.

However, he spent nearly three weeks in hospital in December with a lung infection and after surgery to remove gallstones.

It was his longest stay in hospital since his release from prison in 1990 after serving 27 years for conspiring to overthrow the white-minority apartheid government.

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As mayor from 1978 to 1989, the forceful, quick-witted Koch, with his trademark phrase “How’m I Doing?,” was a polarizing figure and the city’s constant promoter.

Koch died at about 2 a.m. (0700 GMT) at New York-Presbyterian hospital, the spokesman for Koch said.

Koch was credited with lifting New York from crushing economic crises to a level of prosperity that was the envy of other U.S. cities. Under his leadership, the city regained its fiscal footing and undertook a building renaissance.

But his three terms in office were also marked by racial tensions, corruption among many of his political cronies, the rise in AIDS and HIV, homelessness and a high crime rate. In 1989, he lost the Democratic nomination for what would have been a record fourth term as mayor

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Jeremy, 59, the star of more than 2,000 adult films, drove himself to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles early on Wednesday after suffering from chest pains.

“He just felt chest pains, like a very heavy weight,” Jeremy’s manager Mike Esterman told Reuters.

“He is being worked on for an aneurysm near his heart,” Esterman added.

Jeremy, nicknamed the “Hedgehog” for his short and hirsute body and known for his large mustache, parlayed his porn star fame into mainstream celebrity status by appearing on the American reality television series “The Surreal Life” in 2004, and by being featured in an advertisement by animal-rights advocates PETA.

His memoir, “The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz,” was published in 2007 by HarperCollins, a division of News Corp.

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“The president is alert and conversing with medical staff, and is surrounded by family,” McGrath said in a statement.

“Following a series of setbacks including a persistent fever, President Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital on Sunday where he remains in guarded condition,” McGrath said. “Doctors at Methodist continue to be cautiously optimistic about the current course of treatment.”

The 88-year-old was admitted to the hospital November 23 for bronchitis.

A hospital spokesman said in mid-December that the former president was expected to be home from the hospital in time for Christmas, but that spokesman later said doctors felt that the former president should build up his energy before going home.

Bush has lower body parkinsonism, which causes a loss of balance, and has used wheelchairs for more than a year, McGrath said in an email on Wednesday.

Bush, the 41st U.S. president and a Republican, took office in 1989 and served one term in the White House. The father of former President George W. Bush, he also served as a congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, envoy to China, CIA director and vice president for two terms under Ronald Reagan.

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Accompanied by her husband, Kate, 30, appeared at the steps of the hospital smiling and holding a bouquet of yellow flowers. Neither she nor William spoke to waiting reporters before being driven way.

Kate, who married the second-in-line to the throne in April last year, has been suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, an acute morning sickness which causes severe nausea and vomiting and requires supplementary hydration and nutrients.

There has been no announcement about when the baby is due, although the prince’s spokesman has said Kate is less than 12 weeks pregnant.

Kate, known formally as the Duchess of Cambridge, will now recuperate at Kensington Palace, a royal residence in west London, her husband’s office said.

“She is feeling better but now requires a period of rest,” a royal spokeswoman said. “Their royal highnesses would like to thank the staff at the hospital for the care and treatment the duchess has received,” the spokeswoman added.

The onset of the severe sickness and the need for Kate to go to hospital brought forward the announcement of her pregnancy, sparking a frenzy in the British media and even taking by surprise her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, according to reports.

Bookmakers have been quick off the mark to lay odds on a name for the unborn baby, who will be third in line to the British throne after William and his father Charles.

The government is passing legislation in time for the birth to change historic rules of succession so that males no longer have precedence over a female sibling.

There has even been speculation that Kate could be carrying twins, as the acute sickness she is suffering is slightly more common in twin pregnancies.

World leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama were swift to follow British Prime Minister David Cameron in sending their congratulations.

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According to police, 1-year-old Mendi Altman, was transported to Maimonides Hospital by private means just before 1 a.m. on September 18. He was unconscious and unresponsive and pronounced dead upon arrival.

Police said the incident occurred on the second floor of 5813 11th Avenue in Brooklyn, though the boy’s address is listed as 4 David Ct., Monsey, New York.

The NYPD has not yet released any further details about his death.

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The 65-year-old Poppo has been making a slow recovery at Jackson Memorial Hospital since police found him being attacked by Rudy Eugene on May 26. Officers shot and killed Eugene, but not before he disfigured nearly 80 percent of Poppo’s face, including his eyes and nose.

Though the images of Poppo’s face are graphic, doctors said he has made remarkable progress since the incident. They also said he has been handling the mental trauma of what happened “remarkably well.” One doctor said he spoke to Poppo this morning and he wanted to pass along a message: “Go Heat.”

Poppo is expected to spend several more weeks recovering at the hospital. 

(Via Miami New Times)

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McKean spent a week at St. Luke’s Hospital and had surgery there before being transferred to Roosevelt Hospital for rehabilitation.

The actor was seriously injured by at least one car while walking in Manhattan. The incident will force him to miss the rest of his run as the star of Broadway production “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man.”

“I am heading into week two with renewed admiration for New York City’s Emergency Medical Service staff, the NYPD, the staff of St. Luke’s Hospital (where I was born!) and all those with problems much greater than my own,” McKean said in a statement. “I am overwhelmed by the good wishes of friends old and new. My family has been wonderful. My wife Annette, whom I’ve always suspected of being a saint, has proven to be somewhat more than that.”

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What kind of hospital is this, you ask? Why, it’s no hospital at all. It’s the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas, though this restaurant is no stranger to people who need medical attention.

For the second time this year, a customer collapsed in the famed eatery and had to be rushed to the hospital. The woman who hit the floor on Saturday was in the midst of a “double bypass” burger, a margarita and a cigarette. She is expected to recover, according to KTNV.

It’s unknown whether she suffered a heart attack, like the man who collapsed at the restaurant back in February, in the middle of his own meal.

But the menu’s two victims don’t seem to be deterring hungry patrons who don’t seem to mind that the restaurant’s slogan — “a burger to die for” — is beginning to seem more like a warning, than a joke.

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Despite the setback, he continued to play a part on the annual televised New Year’s Eve celebration he began hosting in 1972.

“New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” was just one of the many TV shows he hosted, including the “Pyramid” game shows, “TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes” and most famously, “American Bandstand,” which he hosted from 1952 through 1989.

“Bandstand” will be Clark’s most enduring legacy, as the show was one of the first to bring rock ‘n’ roll into the homes of families across the country when the music was generally considered to be dirty and rebellious. Clark put a clean face on the emerging genre and showcased new acts and clean-cut-looking American teens dancing to the latest sounds. The importance of “Bandstand” can’t be overstated. It was a barometer of the trends with some of music’s most legendary performers appearing on the show, including Michael Jackson, the Beach Boys, Madonna, Pink Floyd, Prince and R.E.M.

Clark is survived by his three children and his third wife Kari Wigton.

Clark used to famously sign off from “Bandstand” by giving a military salute and saying, “For now, Dick Clark … so long,” a sadly appropriate sentiment now.

To see some of our favorite “Bandstand” clips, click here.

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The recently divorced actress was taken to a hospital Tuesday for issues related to substance abuse.

Her rep told TMZ, “Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health. She looks forward to getting well and is grateful for the support of her family and friends.”

Typical PR jargon. Apparently every issue in Hollywood, whether it’s drugs, alcohol, or boy trouble is all credited to “exhaustion.” Can us normal folks use that excuse? ‘Sorry boss, I can’t come in to work today, I’m exhausted.’ We have a feeling that wouldn’t fly.

It’s sad to see her go down this road but we’re glad she’s getting the help she needs. You can do better than Ashton, Demi!

We leave you with Metro gossip columnist, Dorothy Robinson’s tweet: “Demi Moore enters rehab for exhaustion. I hope she gets a nap and a good meal while there.”

Seriously, a nap and a good meal can work wonders.

Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant

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First, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that the couple was entitled  to the superstar treatment they got at Lenox Hill that has been criticized by other new parents, because the famous pair shelled out the cash for it.

Bloomberg defended the rumored $1.3 million spent at the hospital by the couple to ensure absolute secrecy, saying it helped subsidize health care for others, according to DNAinfo. The celebrity parents were at the center of controversy after a new dad whose twins were in the NICU at Lenox Hill said he was barred from seeing his babies while the famous family was on the move inside the hospital.

“If [the hospital] got paid a lot of money and it let them provide services to other people who don’t have insurance or can’t afford it, I’m not so sure it’s a bad thing,” Bloomberg told reporters at an unrelated press conference.

“I don’t think you should keep people from seeing their babies, or whatever, but have different services for people who are full-paying patients. It’s easy to go and criticize, but somebody’s got to pay,” he added.

The couple left Lenox Hill with their new baby late last night. What is being rumored as the first photo of Beyonce with her daughter popped up online today. Go Ham or Go Home asks: real or fake? What do you think?

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The famous pair reportedly shelled out $1.3 million to rent out an entire floor of Lenox Hill hospital for the birth of their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, on Saturday night. They also stationed an entourage of body guards at the hospital, ensuring absolute isolation for Beyonce before, during and after her delivery by C-section.

“They locked us into the NICU and would say, ‘You can’t come out to the hallway for the next 20 minutes.’ When I finally was able to go back out, I went to the waiting room and they’d ushered my family downstairs,” Neil Coulon, a man whose wife also delivered a baby, told the New York Post.

One would expect the star treatment be given to the diva baby of music’s most famous couple, but hospital workers say it was taken to the utmost extreme. In renovations that began two months before the birth, tinted tape covered the windows of Beyonce’s hospital room and its regular door was replaced with one that was bulletproof. The entire floor would reportedly go into “lockdown” mode anytime the superstar family was on the move.

“These are parents who are going through very stressful times,’ Caloun said of parents whose babies are in the NICU. “To have that circus roll into town, having to deal with all this drama because someone is a superstar, isn’t fair.”

The bad press surrounding the birth of his daughter is now just one more problem Jay-Z has to add to his list, which already has 99. 

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