Anthem Blue Cross, Don't Make People Fighting Cancer Fight YOU for Coverage!

  • by: Susan V
  • recipient: Anthem Blue Cross

A man with tumors in his brain, lungs, liver and bones required a recent hospital stay to stabilize his breathing. But his insurance company at first refused to pay for it.

After being rushed to the hospital where he was admitted immediately because of breathing difficulty, Jeffrey Rusch had fluid removed from his lungs and received steroids, to reduce brain swelling, and emergency chemotherapy.

According to Rusch, after a claim was filed with Anthem Blue Cross, whom the family has paid over $100 thousand in premiums, he received a letter denying payment for the hospital stay, claiming it wasn’t a “medical necessity.”

Jeffery and his wife, Zoe, have a 4-year-old son, and all they ask is that they have a little more time together, without the added stress of worrying about paying a hospital bill. Luckily after a local TV station aired Rusch's story, Anthem called to say they'd pay. But what happens to those whose stories don't get noticed by the news?

People fighting for their lives shouldn’t have to fight their insurance companies too.

Tell Anthem Blue Cross to stop denying coverage for necessary treatments!

We, the undersigned, say Anthem’s refusal to pay for Rusch’s hospital stay until he got news coverage is an outrage.

It’s bad enough that this family with a young son has to deal with the father’s life-threatening illness without the couple having to fight with their insurance company over a bill from an obviously necessary hospital stay.

What is the point of paying insurance premiums if, when you need the coverage, the insurance company that took your money for six years, refuses to keep its end of the bargain?

Even if Anthem Blue Cross would paid for the treatment on appeal, without the public exposure of its initial denial,  why should people with cancer have to fight for their lives and fight their insurance companies at the same time?

It seems clear, based on the family’s statements and the video provided by news media that the reason Anthem stated for denying the claim  - that Rusch’s treatment for life-threatening breathing difficulty wasn’t necessary - was unjustified.

And if the press hadn’t gotten involved, the Rusch’s would probably still be fighting for payment.

We insist Anthem Blue Cross pay for all the medical treatments the people they insure need, without making them fight for it.

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