Their son had struggled for years with mental health problems and substance use, products of a violent hit during a junior year high school football practice that left him with a concussion and neck injury so bad he couldn't play anymore.
His story is now part of a class action lawsuit that may include as many as 50,000 people challenging UnitedHealth's standards for behavioral care. U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero recently ripped the Twin Cities-based insurer for placing an"excessive emphasis" on paying for treatments during a crisis while ignoring"effective treatment of ... underlying conditions.
Huskamp compares UnitedHealth's behavioral health standard to an insurer covering only an emergency in diabetes, but not long-term management of the disease. They'll cover the crisis, she said, but"when [the patient comes] home, you're not going to cover their insulin or their routine care like their diabetic eye exams or the other kinds of care they need to stay healthy."
Chuck Lesniak of Austin, Texas, said his middle-school daughter developed severe anorexia five or six years ago to the point where she was nearly passing out every time she stood up,"just eating very very small amounts and it became very bad, very very quickly." "They just basically said no, you're done," Lesniak recalled."You've exhausted your appeals and there's nothing you can do. That's your debt and your problem."
They let her go away to college after high school, thinking it would offer a fresh start. She had barely started her first semester when her parents got a call that she was in the hospital after trying to kill herself.She started seeing her longtime psychologist again. Shortly after, her doctor urged the family to get Katie into a residential treatment facility.
Gruman kept her kidney. She and her husband used credit cards and borrowed money from family and their retirement accounts. "Our argument would be that United has to adopt new guidelines that satisfy generally accepted standards of care," said one of the attorneys, D. Brian Hufford."That it should improve and change its processes for reviewing and adopting and applying guidelines."The Tillitts say they ended up spending more than $100,000 for Max's care.
MPRnews BernieSanders Yet another reason the the time for Medicare for all is now. My health coverage should not be subject to the profit margin of a private corporation. Healthcare is a right. PresidentSanders
MPRnews This is exactly why for profit health organizations are unethical.
MPRnews Once they cash your check, their job is done. And thanks.
In fact they havent paid my therapist ever since they came to iowa. so I am not surprised.
MPRnews I believe it. I personally had issues getting them to pay prescribed and appropriate Occupational Therapy for one of our sons. Refusing valid mental health service claims is even more heartless.
MPRnews Abolish private healthcare now!!! Anything other is a form of state sponsored genocide against the poor!
MPRnews watch The Incredibles for a lesson in insurance company claim payments
brucethegirl MPRnews Now let's hear about how CIGNA does the same thing. You jump through hoops, get denied, get a lawyer, and then they tell you when you finally get them to cover it that they'll only do it for 2 years as that's their policy with mental illness.
MPRnews Private health insurers have an inherent conflict of interest that endangers the health and the life of their insureds. In this case, they risked a young man’s death for profit and he died.
MPRnews Not surprising. That’s all these insurance companies are - money makers for greedy executives. Not as useless as a politician but pretty close.
MPRnews Welcome to Socialist Healthcare for all!!
MPRnews Oh I am just shocked ..... NOT
Coalminetweety MPRnews Well his response as is usual is Delusional.
MPRnews UHC is awful , I got denied a necessary mri and we have a top tier plan that we’re paying into!
MPRnews Most insurance cos. are become doctor/pharmacist/nurse & they're not. Simply nutty equation to make profit & cheat patients of their rights.
MPRnews They don’t cover Anything. They need to get out of the insurance business. Assholes. Run by white stupremacists?
MPRnews UnitedHealthGrp Not surprising. If it’s FOR PROFIT company, it’s self explanatory. “Health “ doesn’t translate. Armstronggardencenter does the same thing by putting off building repairs and employee uniforms/safety equipment . profitoverpeople
MPRnews Stephen Hemsley made a quarter of a billion dollars in 6 years at UnitedHealth
MPRnews I am not shocked.
They have been asked to not provide medicaid services in iowa or they chose not to work by our standards.
MPRnews Mental health care is a racket and if you aren’t wealthy and depend on insurance your quality of care is questionable.
MPRnews Exactly what we experienced in trying to get them to pay for mental health care for one of our children.
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