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  • Health Insurance Casualty of the Day: Nick Colombo - Placentia, CA - 09/02/08

    17-year-old Fights for Cancer Care from His Insurer

    Nick Colombo

    "Our insurance company, PacifiCare, denied my brother Nick approval to go to Kansas City for a special treatment of radiation for his cancer (this could save his life). Nick has suffered with cancer for four years of his life, and he has exhausted every avenue to get better, but nothing worked. This is our last effort and this procedure has worked before with people in Nick's situation," said Ricky Colombo, Nick's older brother, of Placentia, Calif.

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Patient Submitted Stories

Find out more about real people's stories struggling with the healthcare system.

Kidney Cancer

Dean
Heathcare Status: Employer Insured

An ultrasound found a growth on my kidney. A CT scan clearly showed the growth but was inconclusive as far as cancer. All the doctors recommended a biopsy. The insurance company (lived in Florida at the time) said they wouldn't pay for the biopsy unless I was in pain. I of course lied. The biopsy revealed kidney cancer before it had spread and I only lost a kidney.

Submitted on May 10, 2008 - 5:14pm.

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Pleading to Save My Son

Diane
New Lenox, IL
Heathcare Status: Employer Insured

Hello - my name is Diane, and in desperation I pleaded over the telephone with a woman who worked in the billing department of the hospital which a doctor ordered my son to be transferred to when his condition was fatal and the hospital did not want to admit him because my insurance said this hospital was out of network and only covered 90% instead of 100%.

Submitted on August 16, 2008 - 10:52pm.

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