Patient Revolt works.
Pacificare folds, just like Cigna did with Nataline. Hopefully this time it won't be too late. Say a prayer tonight for 17-year-old Nick Colombo.
Health insurer PacifiCare reversed its denial of advanced radiation treatment for a Placentia teenager, but the youth's supporters went ahead with a scheduled demonstration while waiting to see the company's decision in writing.
The family of 17-year-old Nick Colombo was notified last night that PacifiCare would pay the estimated $100,000 bill for radiation treatment at the Mid America Sarcoma Institute in Kansas City. The family is hoping treatment can begin by next week.
But word of PacifiCare's decision came on the eve of a planned protest, after news of the boy's plight spread and friends started helping raise money for the treatment.
PacifiCare, according to Liz Jacobs of the California Nurses Assn., "capitulated when (Nick's story) went all over the Internet."
"They were pretty jammed," she said.
Please go and read the whole story. There has to be a national UPROAR every time one of them tries to pull this. The larger and quicker OUR response, the faster they will fold.
They won't be able to wait it out. It's awefully blunt to say they "wait it out" hoping the person dies so they won't have to pay. I was going so say "but..." but I couldn't think of anything.
California Nurses Association Press Release:
"I am extremely happy about PacifiCare's reversal," said Ricky Colombo, Nick's 19-year old brother. "The goal was to get treatment for Nick, and CNA/NNOC and other allies helped us with that. We decided to go through with the rally in order to get their decision on the record and make sure they back up their words -- and also because there are thousands of others in similar situations who can't get the care they need. We feel blessed to have this community supporting our family."
This is the latest example of a "patient revolt," where friends, family, and healthcare activists demand treatments denied by for-profit insurance corporations. In this case, Nick's physicians pleaded with PacifiCare to approve a cancer treatment, only to be overruled by an insurance company medical reviewer. PacifiCare is owned by United Health, the nation's largest health insurer, and just last year was fined $3.5 million by the state of California for wrongly denying 133,000 cases in a two-year period.
(emphasis mine)
Patient. Revolt. We need more of this. More fighting back. We need to set the stage for the incomming AG:
{UPDATE}
I x-posted this at Redstate (sans Edwards video), just like I did with yesterday's diary, Hot stock tip:Meet Doctor Ho
I felt that yesterdays diary, like this one is bipartisan in that anyone along the political spectrum will think this is important. Yesterday's diary quoted Nyceve's listing of numbers to call. My guess is that some Redstate people called too.
I got a comment over there that I will post here as sort of an update from the other side. While about as close to 180 degrees from mine as an opinion can be, it's reasoned and well informed. This commenter is as glad as I am that the young man will get his treatment and it might save his life, but he views the good news through his own lens, like we all do:
Thanks for the update
by civil truth
I'm glad for Nick and his family that bringing public attention got them help.
Interestingly, this case does demonstrate that even large companies can respond to marketplace pressures. By contrast, the experience of history indicates that government bureaucracies are far less responsive to taxpayer pressures.
Thus the irony is that this case actually is a point in favor of private sector involvement in the medical care system decision-making.
(And thanks for responding to my advice about indicating when you cross-post with dkos.)