Comments on: Insurance Company Refuses to Pay for Woman’s Facial Surgery

By: Kevin, PA

Kevin, PA — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:20:03 +0000

The previous operations that were done for this woman were all state provided. Up until she was 18, Medina’s medical treatments were covered by MIChild, which provides state aid for low-income children.

Medicaid is farmed out to PRIVATE carriers such as Molina Healthcare in Michigan. Molina Healthcare is also paid premiums from several other state’s Medicaid funds. They have a great deal of influence as to what procedures are covered, as it is their job to create as large a PROFIT as possible from these state funds.

Of course, any government-run health insurance system will not realize any benefits if they farm out the coverage to the very private health insurance carriers that were the problem to begin with.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:25:06 +0000

Taxpayer Tom, don’t you think it would be hard to hold down a normal job if you were totally blind, and couldn’t even eat normally?

Even if she could hold down a normal job, surgery is extremely expensive.

By: taxpayer tom

taxpayer tom — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:55:34 +0000

why doesn’t she get a job and her own insurance, and pay for it herself? Or where has her family been through all this?
Has she thanked the citizens of MI that have paid for her healthcare all her life?

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:18:12 +0000

Medicaid is a state run program. Each state has its own Medicaid program, with its own eligibility requirements and its own coverage (and its own payment system), all within Federal guidelines. If there are qualified providers in this young lady’s state then of course they wouldn’t cover her going to a doctor in another state. I’m sorry that her doctor chose to move to another state, but that certainly isn’t Medicaid’s fault. Perhaps she should inquire of her doctor to find the name of someone local that he would recommend who could competently perform the same procedure that he wants to try.

By: KLN

KLN — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:42:29 +0000

This is so sad. I work for a pediatric plastic surgeon who specialized in Cleft Lip/Palate (birth defects), and I can’t even imagine Dr. “G” turning down a patient. But for an insurance company to tell these patients that once they turn 18, it becomes cosmetic is so WRONG! I have a co-worker whose daughter in law was a child with a cleft, and she has the same issues with ins. companies now. The rest of the work is purely cosmetic; even though it is not.

I wish this young lady the best of luck. And I am proud of her for taking a stand, and not letting the company walk all over her!!

By: GP

GP — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:10:43 +0000

This is the wonderful world of government provided healthcare that we can all expect if some politicians get their way.

By: Gary Maness

Gary Maness — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:16:37 +0000

How about the Shriners Crippled Childrens Hospital. That’s what we do.

By: Earl

Earl — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:54:34 +0000

Medicaid or national ins will never be adequate just ask Canadiens. Maybee George Soros and his ilk could pay for this. Or Bob Gates. But I’m taxed out allready.

By: KIM

KIM — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:38:42 +0000

I WAN’T TO DIVORCE THIS COUNTRY, BE LEGAL IN ANOTHER, AND THEN COME BACK SO MY KID’S AND FAMILY COULD ALL HAVE ENOUGH FOOD, MEDICAL, AND THE MORTGAGE PAID FOR. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY?

By: Robyn

Robyn — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:07:45 +0000

What? You mean to tell me that we can bring children in from all over this earth and do reconstructed surgery on them for free, but we cannot take care of one of our own. How sad.