Cigna won't allow my friend to go into hospital with swine flu.

[monmouth]

This is her 30th day, every imaginable drug, including a steroid prescrip has been given. She's had a 102 temp since the beginning and is dehydrated. She went again to the doctor. He says she doesn't meet the criteria (according to Cigna) to be admitted. I'm shocked. She's very upset, aged 48, single, no one to help her and I can't stay with her, if I get it I'm up the creek. We discussed trying the back door of the emergency room but don't know how that will play out as she is in the middle of foreclosure, etc.

Any suggestions I can pass on to her? This is a person who has never missed a premium payment on her insurance... This is making me ill.

[phantom power]

1. I'm no doctor, but seems to me you'd better get to the ER.

It may be opportunistic bacterial infection now. A flu virus doesn't generally last 30 days, does it?

[Titanothere]

2. swine flu for a month?

I thought it was over in a week or so. 102 temp consistently for a month? That's crazy; I hope it breaks for her soon.

[Techn0Girl]

3. 30 days at a 102 Temp??

That is something I never heard of before (I used to be a medical para-professional).
One other thing - You can not possibly tell if you have swine flu or not unless a blood specimen is sent to the CDC and they do genetic testing on it. A recent CBS news expose found that over 95% of all state samples submitted to the CDC for H1N1 turned up negative for swine flu.

Regarding your friend - demand to see another doctor. Get a second opinion. If necessary start using legal terminology like "Are you personally willing to accept the legal liability by not admitting me?" Be prepared to back that up with a lawyer.

I , not being a doctor and only a former EMT, have no idea what would cause a 102 degree temp for 30 days or even if that's possible. I am not a doctor but I do know that influenza only lasts a week or two tops. If your friend has a fever for this long then she has either some other sort of infection of an immune disorder - but again I am NOT a doctor . Just someone who had some exposure to treating people in an emergency setting.

Your friend needs a second opinion from another doctor.

[monmouth]

4. I think you're right, perhaps a mis-diagnosis. A trip to the ER tomorrow

is being planned. Thanks for your help..

[grasswire]

5. I'm sure a lot of us would be willing to contact Cigna...

...on her behalf. Just say the word. I'd be thrilled to tweet the hell out of this on twitter.

A viral you-tube post could call some attention to this, also.

We have power, people. Stand together in solidarity.

[Techn0Girl]

6. We're not doctors....

We don't know what the actual facts are ... we just know some third hand information. I think the OPs idea of taking his friend back to a doctor is probably the way to go.

[Techn0Girl]

7. What was the outcome?

... of your friend's trip to the ER yesterday?

[Why Syzygy]

8. Please update. nt