Throwback to when the UnitedHealthCare (UHC) repeatedly denied a child’s wheelchair.
Thursday, 13 Mar 2025
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Imagine being the person that has to write that letter.
“Sorry your child is crippled and will likely live in constant pain. Get a cheaper wheelchair than the one the doctor wants him to have.”
Carter Sigmon, MD
Can you imagine spending years in medical school, all so you can become the guy whose job it is to fuck over a kid that needs a wheelchair? Fuck him and everyone else doing that job.
Not that it matters even a little bit, but what’s the cost difference between a group 3 and group 2 wheelchair? I just want to know how much a child’s mobility is worth to these assholes?
UHC also said my mom’s hospital stay was “medically unnecessary”. She was a 73 year old woman with advanced Alzheimer’s, had COVID and needed to be on oxygen, needed psych care for the Alzheimer’s, and had rhabdomyolisys from a fall. They tried saying oxygen could be administered at home and tried sticking us with a $50k hospital stay bill.
Can we start printing these out and mailing them to CEOs?
Love how they explained the child’s illness to their parents
Omfg – as a pediatric PT I have to write these letters of justification often. You have to document every single cheap thing you MAY have considered and why it’s not appropriate. And then every single expensive thing you may have considered and why you aren’t asking for that. And then try to show you chose “something in the middle “ , that will “meet the basic needs “ ( not what’s actually potentially best for the child). And Goddesses forbid if you state the child can move independently, or has parents that can push a chair , because THATS a reason for denial as well. Fuck all these benefit deniers .
Who needs a good quality of life anyway? /s
Granted we don’t know the backstory here but I imagine the kid wanted a bit more independence, you wouldn’t apply without good reason and they certainly aren’t cheap
I can relate to this as I have mild CP and I can walk but not far without fatigue or aches and pains, it got to the point where I stopped going out and became a recluse as it just didn’t feel worth the agony. Getting a powered chair was the best thing I’ve ever done and it improved my quality of life both physically and mentally even though I might not seem like I need one on paper!
Insurance companies are not doctors, so why are they allowed to override a doctor’s decision on what is or is not medically necessary?
The healthcare system is broken. If there’s a profit motive to deny care, then the system has no point other than enriching its shareholders. It’s just profit off of suffering. We can and should replace it with a better system.
Ah yes. Their ceo committed suicide because he clearly couldn’t live with himself after being such a criminal
Cerebral palsy makes a simple wheelchair immediately insufficient. Shouldn’t even be a question.
I had open heart surgery in 2018 and United Healthcare paid for the surgery but refused to pay for the implants in my heart I needed to stay alive.
I am pissed my company said United is good. I’m
Hoping they see it and the feedback has been switch.
My late wife was in a power wheelchair for a number of years before she passed away.
I found that having a case manager was essential for getting what she needed.
They are a no cost benefit if you have someone with multiple health problems.
Medica, Anthem, Aetna, Molina, Cigna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield. All of them are above industry average in claims denials. Just sayin’
Deny Defend Depose
“The kids arms aren’t broken are they?” – Brian Thompson
That cold, cold language as well…
Seeing someone else’s denial letter makes me realize how badly my own insurance company screwed up. I have to wait over 6 months (and potentially longer) to get my surgery because Aetna denied the prior authorization, peer review, and appeal on lack of medical necessity – but they didn’t justify or say why in any of their letters. They literally just said “not medically necessary” and that’s it.
I thought it was normal, so it’s surprising to see how UHC justified not medically necessary in this denial letter as compared to mine (even if it’s still really fucked up).
Yeah I dont feel bad for the CEO.
UHC’s next recommendation:
Not me working in a providers office and UHC last month sent me two denials with the ref # for my patients but with a totally different unknown patients info on it. You can imaging the panic in the employees voice at UHC when I call and they’re like omg pls disregard. I can go on and on about this company. This is disgusting
They pretty much told that child “you’re worthless to us.” a simpler wheelchair? HE HAS FUCKIN _PALSY!_ OH MY GOD! The American healthcare system is absolutely disgusting… 🤮