e123179e   
   XPost: az.politics, or.politics, seattle.politics   
   XPost: tx.politics   
   From: straw@man.com   
      
   On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:39:31 -0800 (PST), monkeywintest   
    wrote:   
      
   >January 26, 2011   
   >   
   >Insurance Company Drops Vet Over 2-Cent Shortage   
   >   
   >Cancer Patient's Life Now Hangs In Balance As He Awaits Stem Cell   
   >Replacement   
   >   
   >By Russell Haythorn, 7NEWS Reporter   
   >   
   >THORNTON, Colo. --   
   >   
   >Two pennies.   
   >   
   >That's the difference between a potentially life-saving surgery and a   
   >dropped insurance plan.   
   >   
   >Those 2 cents could cost Vietnam veteran Ronald Flanagan everything.   
   >   
   >"Everybody we talk to is very surprised that 2 cents is enough to do   
   >this," said Flanagan.   
   >   
   >It was an innocent enough mistake, according to Ronald's wife, Frances   
   >Flanagan.   
   >   
   >"If I only had just hit the nine instead of the seven," Frances said.   
   >   
   >When she was paying their monthly health insurance premium online in   
   >November, Frances swapped a 7 for a 9, leaving their $328.69 payment 2   
   >cents short.   
   >   
   >"And now we're just pulling teeth and trying to figure out what's the   
   >next step," Frances said.   
   >   
   >Their insurance benefits administrator, Ceridian Cobra Services, based   
   >in St. Petersburg, Fla., promptly dropped the Flanagans for the 2-cent   
   >shortage.   
   >   
   >The couple found out about losing their coverage at a doctor's   
   >appointment on Jan. 13 while they were at the Exempla Rock Creek   
   >Medical Center in Broomfield.   
   >   
   >As Ron was getting prepped to have a bone biopsy, Frances was on the   
   >phone with Ceridian.   
   >   
   >"The nurses were just getting ready to do the biopsy when my wife   
   >popped into the office and told them, 'Stop. We don't have any   
   >insurance,'" said Ron.   
   >   
   >"And that's when they let me know that we no longer had insurance on   
   >account of the 2 cents, and they canceled us," said Frances.   
   >   
   >"Since then, I've been depressed. I haven't been able to hardly do   
   >anything. As you can see, we still have our Christmas decorations up.   
   >So it's been hard on me."   
   >   
   >Ron has been fighting cancer since September 2008.   
   >   
   >He has multiple myeloma -- cancer in the bone marrow.   
   >   
   >Doctors at St. Luke's have performed stem cell transplant surgery   
   >twice.   
   >   
   >He needs another transplant before the end of February, and they have   
   >a donor.   
   >   
   >But because of the 2-cent mistake, Ceridian Cobra Services will not   
   >pay for the procedure.   
   >   
   >In a statement, Ceridian Cobra Services told 7NEWS, "We did not   
   >receive a full and timely payment and (Mrs. Flanagan) was provided   
   >several notices of the shortage and a grace period reminder notice on   
   >the last invoice, along with extended grace dates as provided for   
   >under COBRA regulations."   
   >   
   >The statement goes on to say, "Since the payment was not full, it fit   
   >into the definition in the regulations of an 'insufficient payment'   
   >... Ceridian understands nothing is more important than one s health   
   >... Unfortunately, we simply do not have the capacity to be able to   
   >personally call continuants and remind them of the status of their   
   >COBRA benefits."   
   >   
   >Ron Flanagan believes Ceridian does not value human health, but   
   >rather, the bottom line.   
   >   
   >Ron said they never received written notice that they could be   
   >dropped.   
   >   
   >The couple said they only received a billing statement in December   
   >that showed the two-cent shortage, but it wasn't clear to them that it   
   >was past due, otherwise they would have just added two cents to their   
   >December payment -- which they paid in full, and which Ceridian   
   >promptly cashed.   
   >   
   >"They never did a certified letter saying what could happen. They   
   >never made a phone call. As far as I'm concerned, they're looking for   
   >a way to drop you," he said.   
   >   
   >The family believes the cause of Ron's cancer is likely exposure to   
   >Agent Orange while Ron was deployed in Vietnam.   
   >   
   >Now, he waits for the stem cell transplant he needs.   
   >   
   >"My doctor said I could not wait months to decide on a transplant,"   
   >said Ron.   
   >   
   >"I spoke to my sister-in-law and that's when I broke down. And I told   
   >her I feel like it's all my fault," said Frances.   
   >   
   >"She just said, 'No. It's not your fault.'"   
   >   
   >"The insurance company is paying out way more than I'm paying in. And   
   >I understand that. But, that's part of the insurance game," said Ron.   
   >   
   >"We have God on our side," said Frances.   
   >   
   >Ron is now considering going to the Veterans Administration hospital   
   >as an alternative, but it could mean he would have to travel to   
   >Seattle for treatment.   
   >   
   >Federal law states insurance providers must give you a reasonable   
   >amount of time to make up a shortage.   
   >   
   >Ron said he might start oral chemotherapy as a maintenance-type drug   
   >to manage his cancer.   
   >_____________________________________________   
   >   
   >   
   >All of you right wing freaks against any type reform.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)