Calif. teen's family sues Cigna over transplant

A lot of information on the web about HMO's now and quite a bit negative.. http://www.makingakilling.org/chapter1.html .. some seem to go so far as to dictate the treatment options a doctor can discuss with their patients. IMO this is very sad.

Given that HER physicians who actually examined her and knew all the circumstances of her case said she qualified for the transplant, I don't get why you think you can call the case. Or are you like Bill Frist who can diagnose Terry Schiavo's brain health after viewing her in edited video? And please recall he was 100% wrong.

Insurer's U-turn too late to save life of transplant teenager

...The company recently posted figures for its third-quarter performance this year, which showed profits up 22%. Next year it expects to earn an income of up to $1.2bn....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007....international

Senatory Frist was foolish, and most physicians had a hearty laugh at his "diagnosis". But that's beside the point and you clearly only brought it up in an attempt to discredit me. Good try.

But in answer to your question: Here is what her own attorneys and doctors said:

- she was diagnosed with leukemia, had a BMT, and had cancer recurrence
- she developed acute liver failure as a consequence of her treatment
- she fell into a "vegetative state" prior to being considered for a transplant
- she had a 65% chance of living 6 months, if she survived the transplant

That's from the family's attorneys.

And that's not even bringing up the fact that anti-rejection drugs likely could have worsened her leukemia.

There is a profound shortage of organs in this country. Giving a precious liver to a cancer-ridden child with a coin-flip's chance of living half a year is irresponsible and a waste.

I'm greatful she didn't get that liver. And I'm sure the family of the person who did is as well.

I don't care about cost.

I do.

Everyday in this country people are clamoring over the the increasing cost of health care. 47mil Americans who can't afford insurance (actually it's more like 7mil, the AMA is kind of lying about the numbers, but whatever). People utilizing the ER because they don't have a primary care doc. People going bankrupt due to high copays and hospital bills.

Then at the same time we turn around and expect insurance companies to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a transplant patient who already had a BMT and suffered a recurrence. Do people think insurance money magically grows on trees? Doesn't anyone recognize that the money paid out by the CIGNA gets recouped through premiums on everyone else? It's easy to get all choked up over the dying teenager, but that's because nobody gets to see the poor suckers going broke from medical bills who aren't photogenic enough to rate a protest by the nursing unions.

I recognize that the girl's parents would have paid any amount of money to get a couple more months with their daughter. But they weren't paying, you and I were. And at some point, somebody has to wipe away the stink of mindless emotion and say enough is enough.

Sometimes good people get sick, and sometimes kids die. Throwing scarce money and usable organs after a failed cause doesn't do anybody any good.