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Real People DENIED Real Healthcare: Nataline Sarkisyan

Nataline died awaiting a liver transplant denied by CIGNA.

In a stunning turn around, insurance giant CIGNA has capitulated to community demands, and protests that the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee helped to generate, and agreed to a critically needed liver transplant for Nataline Sarkisyan, a 17-year-old girl in the intensive care unit at UCLA Medical Center. Unfortunately, Nataline passed away yesterday just after six o'clock the same day of the massive protest.

Submitted by Colette Washing... on December 22, 2007 - 3:15pm.
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The politics of greed

Submitted by Megan Hamilton (not verified) on May 2, 2008 - 9:12pm.

Dear Michael,

Patients are dollar signs to these greedy bastards, and it's been that way for awhile. The CEOs who helm these money pits don't have to worry about their welfare, or that of their families. A child shouldn't have to die because of their blatant disregard, but this has been going on for a long time.

This is what has happened to me: I have asthma which ranges from mild to severe. If anything frightens me (like last year when I nearly stepped on a large rattlesnake), I go into serious asthma attacks. Other times, if the air quality is bad, I've got problems.

So here's the fun part: (Not!) When I was on Medi-cal all of my medications were free. Then I was switched to Medicare, which then assigned me to HealthNet. I'm on Advair and have to use Albuterol sometimes. Now, in order to receive my Advair, I must pay $186.00 per month. My Nurse Practitioner was upset and decided to have me try Azmacort. Well, that was somewhere between $120-$160 per month. I'm on disability; I can't afford either of these. I've been reduced to relying on samples at the doctor's office and the staff isn't happy about that. Which means I may be cut off completely.

If I have a severe asthma attack and can't get these medications, I could die. When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I developed pneumonia on top of the asthma. It hasn't been a fun time. I can afford to buy Albuterol; it's about $40.00.

I can't ever recall my parents having these problems. They were well insured all of their lives, and they worked hard for this insurance.

I believe that all throughout history money has been more important than living beings; but we are in a time when this is accelerating. I don't have any answers, but I believe people need to take back their rights and fight for the right for decent medical care.

Thanks so much for your time,

Megan Hamilton

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