Thanks to CIGNA, A Six-Year-Old Girl May Never Hear Again. Each Day's Delay, Another Horror Story.

[Hepburn]

If they're already admitting to causing deaths, why should they care about a little girl's hearing?

What more do we have to do to fight back against these horror stories? What will it take to get these insurance companies to see the inherent immorality of focusing on the bottom line to the exclusion of all else? Think Progress:

...

As the story of six-year-old Madison Leuchtmann of Franklin County, MO, demonstrates, even children are victims of this insurance company abuse. Madison was born with bilateral atresia, which means she lacks ear canals in both ears. In order to hear, she wears a special device on a headband that allows her to make out sounds. Despite her disability, Madison is at the top of her kindergarten class and is slowly learning to read.

Yet Madison, due to her growth, will soon require a new hearing implant to be able to recognize sounds. Her hearing and speech therapist warns that “if she doesn’t get her implants by age seven, she’s not going to be able to blend her words. … She won’t be able to hear herself .” Madison’s pediatrician, Dr. Randall Clary, also insists that without the implant, the girl may never be able to hear again. Unfortunately, the Leuchtmann’s family insurer, Cigna, has issued "one denial after another,” flatly refusing to cover the $20,000 bill for the implant. In a written statement to the local news station Fox 2, Cigna explained, “It is not unusual for commercial benefit plans to exclude hearing assisted devices,” prompting Dr. Clary to angrily respond, “This is obviously medically necessary. You have a child that has no ear canals!” Dr. Clary also told Fox 2 that he sees these sort of denials “on a weekly basis.”

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/thanks-cigna-six-year-old-girl-may-ne

Un-fucking-believable. They don't cover hearing asssited devices...FOR A CHILD WHO HAS NO EAR CANALS.

:mad:

[MannyGoldstein]

1. But Wall Street Will Get Record Bonuses This Year

And we have a Democrat as President... so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Perhaps she can sell a kidney to a banker to get the money she needs? It's the American way!

[Brickbat]

2. K&R. It makes me sick that these type of things are considered OK by some people.

[jtrockville]

3. Uniquely American. And uniquely pathetic.

Why do we put up with this CRAP?

[gratuitous]

4. Come on, it's a simple equation

Either a little girl can hear or an overpaid executive can pocket more cash he doesn't need and can't spend anyway. I mean, how crystal clear does it have to be? There are millions of little girls all over the country who can hear perfectly well; what's one more or less? But we have so few multimillionaires! Why, they're practically endangered. Like those polar bears you libruls are always on about. I suppose you want to see the polar bears go extinct, you heartless librul bastards!

[iamjoy]

6. Cigna's Doing Her A Favor

I mean, giving her the surgery she needs to hear would make things easy for her. If she's deaf, she'll face challenges and that will make her work harder and ultimately stronger.

Besides, there are lots of hearing impaired people in the country, what you have something against them? Deaf people are people too.

Anyway, our Constitution promises us life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are our inalienable rights. Hearing isn't one of them.


Am I ready for a job with Fox News?

[Hepburn]

5. I am hearing impaired and this article just makes me ill...

...that poor child.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Same here. These people are the scum of the earth and enough to make me

wish hell was real.