Her insurance company wouldn't pay because it was "experimental":

[abclocal.go.com]

MediCal just switched me to a private hmo after moving to this county. Identification card says to be sure to call "help nurse" before going to emergency room. I think the only county (Napa) in the state with this system. Glad I got VA too. Now need to move closer to VA Hospital.

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Da Good Life

They insured her but they didn't. They should be brought up on charges. Fraud would be a start.

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

I should stop complaining that my wife's HMO refused to pay a penny toward her $3000 hearing aids. Letters from 2 doctors and a "review" confirmed their rejection.

It's fairly SOP that one's position on waiting lists for some surgeries is determined by how completely the paperwork has been completed. Not surprisingly, many insurance companies drag their feet with paperwork. Many a heart bypass candidate only got their surgery AFTER having suffered a major heart attack while WAITING.




That is, suffering and SURVIVING a major heart attack. The others are chalked up as cost savings by the medical insurance industry.

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Pops
Many a heart bypass candidate only got their surgery AFTER having suffered a major heart attack while WAITING..

<sarcasm>But wait, Rush and the dittoheads tell me that this only can happen in those awful countries where citizens are forced to be covered by nationalized health care systems. Tell me it ain't so. </sarcasm>

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

Think Ahnalt's idea has a chance?

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bfd
Think Ahnalt's idea has a chance?

From what I've read, it seems to have pretty wide support despite coming in a fiscally tight year. I'd prefer the original dems plan which squeezes out more of the middlemen, but anything is better than the nothing we currently have, and big pharma/big insurance would probably destroy the better plan. The best (and critical) part of the guvernator's plan IMHO is that insurance companies will no longer be able to refuse coverage to anybody...we'll see how that shakes out in terms of rates. That will be huge if it happens, no longer forcing people to stay in jobs they don't want in order to keep insurance coverage.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

This is tragic. However, government health care would have the same results, or worse, she'd
have been denied the transplant altogether.

You seem to think if she lived in Canada or most of Europe she wouldn't have had to wait for the govering authority to change it's mind until it was to late to save her.

Cite?

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

This is not going to end well. The people at CIGNA are idiots. They deserve
to have the book thrown at them. They are so stupid they will fight this and
lose millions. It is their ingrained mentality.

[www.lasvegassun.com]

If a prosecutor would build a criminal case against insurance companies who withold authorization of treatment, it could change everything.

Charge them with fraud and criminal conspirisy to commit murder and let them defend that charge in open court.

They'll settle and change policy long before they let that case come to trial.

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

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Dennis S
Her insurance company wouldn't pay because it was "experimental":

[abclocal.go.com]

But we have the best heath care system in the world! Do you want to switch to the Canadian system where everyone has affordable coverage? I certainly hope not!

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Macaficionado
This is tragic. However, government health care would have the same results, or worse, she'd
have been denied the transplant altogether.

Just how in the hell do you come up with that? You might ought to get a colonostomy if you're pulling stuff like that out of your ass.

Someone already in a vegetative state (per her own mother) doesn't strike me as a top candidate for a successful transplant.

The reason my uncle is still alive 15 years after his heart transplant is that younger, but sicker people like Natalie were skipped when a suitable heart became available.

from the article:

"Transplantation is not an option for leukemia patients because the immunosuppressant drugs 'tend to increase the risk and growth of any tumors,' said Dr. Stuart Knechtle, who heads the liver transplant program at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and was not commenting specifically on Nataline's case.

The procedure 'would be futile,' he said. "

Quote
RgrF
If a prosecutor would build a criminal case against insurance companies who withold authorization of treatment, it could change everything.

Charge them with fraud and criminal conspirisy to commit murder and let them defend that charge in open court.

They'll settle and change policy long before they let that case come to trial.

Great idea, but my understanding is there are LAWS against filing suit against ins cos. Don't know if these also cover prosecutiions as well, but the way the foxes guard the chickens these days, wouldn't surprise me.

Those are laws the companies had their GOP spokespeople pass to prevent John Citizen and his attorney from holding them responsible or limiting damages for their actions in civil courts.

They have no restraining effect on prosecutors alleging criminal activity and fraud.

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"Who's more foolish - the fool or the fool that follows him?" - Obi Wan Kenobi

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Feel so sad to hear that. In many case, most of the insurance company used to deny medical claims which have severe effect on patients. In your condition they put the reason of “experiment” to deny the claim. When my mother had a liver transplant at Justsavelives clinic, we claim for the health insurance, but they denied our claim first, however by taking help of legal authority they have passed the claim and now my mother is living comfortably.